One Shot
by Queen000
Summary: Peace reigns three months after the 2nd Sorceress War but the end results of a mission threaten to change that. Re-write of another story. See Author's notes within.
1. New Threat

_This story was originally posted under a different name. For those of you who remember what it was I ask that you keep it to yourselves as it contains spoilers. Do not post it in the review section. Feel free to private message me if you'd like._

 _For new readers; welcome. This is a re-write of an old story I had posted years ago. I took it down because I have since learned some editing techniques to make myself a better writer. I did the same thing to my Final Fantasy VIII Novelization and I'm hoping to start reposting that one very soon. Enjoy._

* * *

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own Final Fantasy VIII or it's characters. I make no monetary gain from this story. It is purely for entertainment value.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: New Threat**

Three months had passed since Sorceress Ultimecia initiated a third Sorceress War with only time as her deadliest weapon.

No one outside of those involved knew the incredible truth of that war's conclusion _ **.**_ To the rest of the world, the Sorceress was defeated when SeeD fought her forces at the Cape of Good Hope in Centra. The trouble in Esthar was put on her knight, who was still intent on chaos.

Under normal circumstances, he would call it an injustice to be scapegoated. But Seifer Almasy had learned his lesson and gone to ground. He was last seen in the custody of Dollet soldier, but never made it to a cell.

He was the least of Garden's worries, however. The real issue was the lack of funds following Norg's deposal. SeeD still had a flood of mission requests – while students and faculty tightened their belts – but it wouldn't be enough to keep Garden afloat beyond the next two years without a new backer.

There were two cutbacks Garden wanted to employ, but couldn't as they would lose face. Rinoa Heartily was granted Garden privileges and residential status as thanks for her pivotal role in the war. Though no complained aloud, she was an additional mouth they could not afford to feed. Not to mention the world's only known sorceress. That made her not only a freeloader but a potentially dangerous one.

That Irvine Kinneas was a freeloader that Garden treated better did not miss his notice. He was very protective of those he deemed friends and family. Any unfair treatment in his presence would be defended with ferocity. It did not win him many allies, though people who judged what they didn't understand would always be distant second to his family.

He was too easy going to care that he was regarded as an outsider. He had been much the same at his home Garden, which had a strict and rigid nature he had always rebelled against. Whether it was student or Faculty, defiance was was likely the reason Martine was so quick to send him to his death against the Sorceress. One less rebel to worry about.

The Galbadian Garden Master could not have foreseen the end results. Irvine sure hadn't.

But now that he wanted to change Gardens, Martine was loathe to let him go. Irvine lacked the military discipline Martine wanted. However, he couldn't just cast aside a sharpshooter renowned as a hero.

Martine only wanted to save face. When Ultimecia took control of Galbadia Garden she had taken everything from the Garden Master. His reputation in tatters, he was forced to turn to FH – the only nation that remained supportive – and accept a life of exile. Irvine's transfer would only fuel the questions about Martine's authority, whether he truly could control the Garden.

It wasn't Irvine's problem.

He was bored, there was nothing to do and no one to hang out with. So he lay on the floor of the quad and watched the afternoon sky. The tedium was broken only a little by his interpretation of the clouds as other images. He just wished the others were free, but life was not so kind. Zell had only just returned from a mission and was in his dorm, dead to the world. Quistis had regained her instructor's licence for the fall semester and was in her classroom. Rinoa had gone into town to pick up supplies for Angelo. Squall, well, he was busy with responsibilities that shouldn't have been thrust upon a socially-inept eighteen year old. Selphie – his usual cloud-watching partner in crime – had been deployed on a mission a week ago. She could be away for a while, the Quad wouldn't be much fun without her, yet he opted to go anyway.

Now he regretted the decision, but there was little else he could do alone. Irvine did not do well in close quarters combat and the monsters in the Training Centre could get uncomfortably close if he wasn't careful. Sparring was much of the same. So he stayed in the quad and picked out familiar shapes and designs that trekked through the sky.

Balamb was most certainly a far cry from Galbadia Garden. Wrapped in an atmosphere of freedom, Garden conduct and attire were left to the discretion of the students. The rules were still to be followed but otherwise everyone was left to their own devices. Even though he'd been here since the end of the war, Irvine was so used to being called out by faculty for his trench coat, stetson and roper-style riding boots that it was unnerving to be ignored in spite of them. No one cared how he acted or what he wore so long as he presented himself accordingly during formal occasions.

He shook himself awake from an impromptu dose and admitted defeat. Either he could fall asleep out in the open or he could find something else to do. He returned to Garden's inner halls and hunkered down on a bench that faced the library. His hat tilted low, arms draped over the backrest and legs spread. The shift from cloud-watcher to people-watcher was complete. As students and SeeDs went by some nodded to acknowledge his presence while others ignored him. To the former he nodded back, the latter he let slide. If he was greeted by a girl, a little smirk and nod usually sent them away with a giggle. He no longer followed up on his flirts but that didn't mean he had to stop altogether.

Some time passed before he considered what else he could do. He only played triple triad with girls but was bored enough to make an exception. He rose to his feet and started for the elevator. A majority of the students would be on the second floor by now, around the classrooms.

As he turned the corner, he saw someone familiar reach the bottom steps beyond the elevator. Irvine recognized the fur-collared beater jacket but stopped himself before he could wave Squall over. He suspected the elder youth was likely busy with Garden administration bullshit. As usual. The brunet called Irvine over, to his surprise. When he stood there dumbly, Squall strode over. His posture betrayed his irritation and a sense of urgency.

Irvine tipped his hat in greeting. "Where's tha fire?"

"Front Gate. You need to come with me."

"Why's that?" By the time he got the words out Squall had already started for the turnstiles. Irvine had to jog to catch up. "Ya wanna at least _tell_ me what's goin' on?"

"Something went wrong on one of the missions." Squall's tone was even, all business.

"Wha' happened ta tha secrecy an' all that?"

"It has to do with Selphie."

Irvine stopped, filled with dread at the answer. Squall made it a few paces further before he realized the sharpshooter was no longer with him. When he turned around, he fixed the taller youth with a glare of impatience.

"What about her?" Irvine's mouth had gone dry, it was a miracle he even got the question out.

"Come with me and you'll see." Then Squall started off again.

The crisp November weather hit him full force the moment they stepped outside. While Balamb did not see snow beyond the mountains, the weather was still not merciful. Even Squall pulled at his collar to bring the fur as close to his ears as he could manage. Irvine flipped the lapel of his trench coat to do the same and followed Squall to Garden's front gate.

Ragnarok completed its landing process beyond the golden gates. A small congregation waited for its passengers to emerge. He recognized the Headmaster, Cid Kramer, and the Garden Physician Doctor Kadowaki along with Lieutenant-Commander Xu. With them were SeeDs the sharpshooter did not know.

The hangar door dropped open and two SeeDs climbed out. A girl with curly brown hair and a guy whose long black hair was pulled back into a braid. Both wore civilian clothes. Slung on the guy's back was the third member of their team, someone Irvine recognized instantly.

Squall pulled Irvine back before he could charge forward. The look he got was terse and told him that he'd be removed if he interfered in any way. He stayed his ground. When the team passed he caught a glimpse of the Selphie and did not like what he saw. While unconscious she looked lifeless, a stark contrast to the almost-inexhaustible energy she often gave off. Squall's hand stayed firm on Irvine's shoulder, a silent reminder they were not alone and had to remain professional.

"What happened to her?"

"I intend to find out," Squall promised. "But I need to ask you some questions first. You were the last person to see her before the mission, and we need to rule out any pre-existing conditions that could've led to this."

"She was fine before she left." Irvine didn't say they had gotten into a stupid fight about something he couldn't even remember, or that they'd both stormed to their corners in foul moods. By the time he'd cooled down enough to bury the hatchet, Selphie had already left. "She was healthy."

"Nothing out of the ordinary? Strange about her behaviour?"

"She was tha same ol' Selphie." Irvine didn't know how else to explain it. "What did her teammates hafta say?"

"Nothing helpful." Squall shook his head with a heavy sigh.

Irvine didn't realize they were inside until he no longer felt the cold. The halls were empty now. The students had likely been shepherded away by either Xu or Kadowaki. Maybe both of them.

A sudden thought filled him with a helpless dread. "I can go see her, right? Tha doc'll let me in, won't she?"

When Squall didn't respond right away, Irvine held his breath. It could be Squall was lost in his own thoughts. "It could go either way. We don't know what's caused Selphie to collapse. It's a good sign her teammates haven't followed suit, but it could be a matter of time before they do."

"So yer sayin' she won't."

"I'm saying be prepared."

Frustrated with the answer, Irvine fell into a sullen silence. He half expected Squall to stop him because of some bullshit procedure or policy, but was surprised when Squall followed a step behind. Irvine relaxed a little when the Infirmary door slid open. If there were any concerns about contagion they would have been locked out. The fact that the SeeD helpers weren't decked out in hazmat suits was also a good sign.

At the end of the battle at the Cape of Good Hope the Infirmary had been packed full with the dead and injured, with hardly enough space to manoeuvre. Now, in peace time, with barely another soul it felt like a mausoleum. Kadowaki looked up from her notes and strode over to the pair who stood like awkward statues by the door. She ushered them to follow her to her office. As Irvine looked back, he realized that he couldn't see Selphie through the students who surrounded her.

"We've drawn some blood and are running tests," Kadowaki started as her office door slid shut and she took a seat. "The MRI is being prepped in case whatever happened has a neurological cause. Neither will present any results for a few days but I'll put a rush on it all the same."

"Are you allowing visitors?"

Squall asked the question before Irvine could. It was odd: the brunet hadn't been overly optimistic of his chances. Before he could question it the Doctor nodded her consent.

"You'll have to wait until we've finished but I see no harm in it. Short visits shouldn't be a problem but I worry about long term exposure." She turned to the brunet. "Speaking of which, I will have to quarantine her teammates for the time being."

A terse nod from Squall was what she received. "I want updates as soon as you can give them."

"Yessir."

Satisfied with her answer, Squall turned on his heel and left a moment later. Irvine did not question the departure. Squall would have to ensure there was no panic from whatever the hell this was. There was no doubt that he would have his hands full even more than he already did.

Irvine did not envy him.


	2. Open Secrets

**Chapter 2: Open Secrets**

Rumours in Balamb could spread like wildfire, so by next morning everyone knew what had happened.

Everyone asked the same questions. Why did Selphie collapse? Would she ever wake up? But gossip could twist simple truths into Horror Fiction and that was exactly what happened once the student body found out. There were stories about Hazmat suits, sterilization procedures and experimentation that grew more and more concerning as the speculations continued. Instead of help everyone cope with the situation, all it did was stir up fear.

This wouldn't have happened in G-Garden, thanks to a strict rule that prevented all talk in the halls. He had always believed it to be more than a little excessive though now it was one of the things he missed from his home Garden. He felt better knowing that he was not alone. While Squall had disappeared since that first day, the rest of his friends were around enough to make up for the loss.

At first, visits with Selphie were kept short as per regulations. However, her team were given the all clear after two days in quarantine, thus people got to spend longer bedside. The only thing that would have made it even better was if the spunky brunette bounced back from whatever this was.

But the only change happened to those around him. It happened so quickly. Everyone returned to their everyday lives, like there was nothing wrong with the world. The gossip in the halls turned to other mundane matters and he soon found himself the only one who consistently visited _ **.**_ Somehow, in the back of his mind, Irvine had expected this to happen, but he had expected his family to care more. He saw less and less of them as they went about their daily routine.

Selphie was unconscious for almost a week when Irvine decided that enough was enough. He woke up early and made his way to the third floor. Once Garden had become mobile, the lock on the administrative level had been ignored, as it allowed for a convenience and transparency Garden had lacked with NORG's presence. He continued along the red carpet that pushed past the double doors and waited by his chosen office for its occupant to arrive.

Eventually Squall came into view but stopped short as he saw Irvine. The brunet continued his approach as he fished in his jacket pocket for the key-card that would unlock his door. "I didn't realize I had a meeting."

"Need ta talk ta ya 'bout somthan." Irvine's tone was flat as he forced a neutral expression.

Squall found the card and flashed it against the lock. The door slid open and offered them entrance. "I gathered that much. You wouldn't be here this early otherwise."

"Selphie."

Squall did not pause in his stride. It was almost like he had expected this. "We are investigating the situation. Under the circumstances we're doing the best we can."

"Look, I know ya hate politics and all that, but damned if that didn't sound rehearsed." Irvine followed Squall into the office, his arms folded as he scowled in disgust. He expected some sort of defence or denial to his claims. He was afforded neither as Squall took his place behind his desk. It made his blood burn. "And ta be frank, I ain't jes talkin' 'bout doin' sumthan 'bout it. No one seems ta care anymore, like it's just how she is. Makes me wonder just how hard ya'll are workin' ta fix her."

"Selphie's condition isn't the only thing going on in Garden. She's not being ignored."

"Then would ya kindly explain why I ain't seen _yer_ hide anywhere since that first day? Tha others at least made an appearance or two during them first few days but now it's all 'business as usual'. I'd expect that from most people, but not from her damn family!"

Another heavy sigh. "Irvine-"

"Nah, ya need ta hear me!" Suddenly all the bitter resentment that had built over the week boiled to the surface. He lacked the will to force it back, so instead embraced the emotions. "Now I undastand that ya'll are busy with yer lives, but _f_ _ive minutes_ sure as shit won't kill ya! And as far as I'm concerned, I'll look inta this on mah own cuz ya'll sure don't seem ta be in a hurry ta figurin' it out!"

Once he'd been shut down Squall remained silent, his expression unreadable. Arms folded across his chest as he waited for an opening. When Irvine did not follow up he finally spoke, his tone even and quiet. "Can I talk now?"

Irvine would've slugged him if those four words hadn't floored him.

Squall took his silence as an affirmation. "I'm not going to make excuses. We probably _could_ have visited more. _I_ could have. But Selphie wouldn't have wanted _anyone_ – least of all any of _us_ – to drop everything and stand by her side day in and day out. She wouldn't have wanted us to mourn her just so that we could spare her feelings."

"You sonova-"

"No. Now _you_ need to here this." Squall raised his hand. "As much as you don't want to hear it, Selphie wouldn't want to see Garden run into the ground because we were all worried about her. She'd want us to stand up and do something. As far as the investigation, it's only been a week. These things take time. We can't just snap our fingers and find a solution in an instant."

Irvine's anger began to ebb away as he processed Squall's words and had to admit he was right. "So what've y'all managed to find out so far? Aside from it _not_ being contagious?"

"I can't tell you."

" _Really_?!" A click sounded from behind him. He turned around and saw that the panel beside the door had shifted from green to red. The door was locked. He couldn't get out now if he wanted to.

" _Officially_ , I can't tell you because the affected mission is _still_ classified," Squall continued. "Not everyone who was involved has been debriefed. To tell you anything would disclose classified information. I could lose my rank as _Commander_ , or be terminated from SeeD. Garden could charge me with treason if they saw fit."

Squall was not one to dance around a subject so Irvine paid close attention and tried not to flinch from the touch of venom injected into the spoken title. Squall hated his job, it was no secret to those closest to him, but he continued to do it out of obligation. In order to stay in the loop – to be in the know about instances such as this – he had to remain compliant. Squall's message was simple: if Irvine wanted to know anything Squall had to be sure what was said remained in this room. Irvine didn't see any signs that would suggest outside observations. Slowly, he nodded his consent.

Squall nodded back. "Have a seat." It was only when they both had sat down that Squall proceeded. "The team was sent to Timber to assist with a murder investigation. The suspect was easy to track down and the officials proceeded with arrest procedures. The suspect ran. Selphie was separated from her team at one point: when they found her, she was unconscious and their suspect was dead. They were recalled the moment Garden was notified."

"Ya know fer sure they got the killer?"

"Garden kept in touch with Timber after the team left. The murders have not continued and SeeD has since considered the case closed. The only loose end is Selphie's condition and how to reverse it."

"So whatcha reckon happened?"

"We don't have anything concrete. Just theories. There were some signs of a struggle, but not enough to explain this."

"What about a tox screen?" Irvine recalled that the doctor had run one.

"It came back clean. No drugs or poisons. And we've determined it's not caused by anything pre-conditioned. You mentioned she was fine before the mission."

"So what yer sayin' is y'all got nuthin', so y'all've stopped looking."

" _I_ haven't."

Irvine looked back up in disbelief but there was no lie in Squall's features. Then the sharpshooter thought about the brunet's abrupt disappearance over the last week and wondered just what he had been up to. "Ya haven't been avoidin' Sefie at all, have ya?"

He already knew the answer even as Squall leaned back in his chair. "I've been doing some research in my off hours. Xu and Cid believe there's nothing we can do at this point. I'm not as convinced."

"Have ya found anythan?"

"Only more questions, but I'm not giving up. You'll hear about it when I can find anything concrete."

The sharpshooter opened his mouth to say something, reconsidered and then snapped it shut. He had felt so alone that it was hard to grasp someone else was on his side. He hadn't stopped to consider that maybe someone else worked the angles and attacking this problem head on instead of waiting for something to happen. Squall had been like that as long as Irvine had known him. If there was any kind of problem Squall would deal with was such a far cry from that little boy who used to hide when Ellone wasn't around.

"Why?" Irvine breathed, unable to get past his disbelief.

Squall arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

It was too late the shrug it off or pretend that Irvine hadn't said anything. " _Why_?"

"Because I know how it feels to watch someone you care about lay lifelessly in a hospital bed." Squall's expression was suddenly haunted, as though he recalled an unpleasant memory. "Not knowing why or how it happened, and feeling helpless to change it. Never knowing if they'll ever come out of it, or if this is how they will stay, how they will _die_. Whether you're crazy asking yourself the same questions over and over and _over_ again, wondering if you really want to know the answers after all."

When he thought back to the war Irvine felt like an idiot. More than that was the guilt that crept up with the memories of the Infirmary. Amongst the dead and injured there was someone in a coma for no rhyme or reason. Beside her was someone else so desperate to see her return to consciousness he had shirked everything, including his own comfort and sanity. But he had done so alone.

Squall pulled out a file to begin the day's work and said nothing. There was no accusation in the brunet's gaze, only a desire to explain. How could Squall _not_ resent them all for moving on while he had suffered alone?

"Thank you." At first Irvine wasn't sure Squall had heard him. When he didn't respond the sharpshooter rose to his feet. His business concluded, he no longer needed to be here.

He heard the click as he reached the door and noted that the panel beside it had shifted back to green. When he turned around he saw that Squall watched him, papers still in hand. "Get some rest, Irvine." As always his features were impassive and impossible to read.

With the first smile Irvine had in a week, he decided that was an order he would gladly obey.


	3. Trauma

**Chapter 3: Trauma**

Wake up. Shower. Food. Infirmary. Lunch. Library.

That was Irvine's routine for the next three days. He would comb through books about sudden comas for clues to explain Selphie's condition. After 1800 hours, Squall would join him until 2100 when he would duck out to prepare for the next day. Irvine stayed until the Library until the library closed at 2300 hours.

No one else joined them. No one else even asked what they were doing. Irvine tried not to take it personally but it was hard when the one person who made time to investigate this mystery was busier than anyone else.

"How's Selphie doing?"

The sudden question made Irvine look up. He'd tried to read the same paragraph for the last hour with no success. "'Bout tha same. Doc's keepin' her on IV drip. Doesn't wanna add dehydration or starvation ta her condition. Ya been in ta see her yet?"

"Not since yesterday." Squall's eyes did not leave the book in front of him. He turned a page. "Rinoa went with me. Says she feels bad for being so busy."

"It's alright." It wasn't. Of everyone, Rinoa had the most free time and it shouldn't have been guilt that made her check in on a friend. But he couldn't say any of this. When it came to Rinoa, Squall could be blind and it was not fair to force him to defend the girl when he already had to on a daily basis. If the students were uncomfortable with a Sorceress under their roof it was doubtful the administration felt any better.

And the only person the anger would hurt was himself.

Irvine sighed in frustration as he leaned back in his chair. "Damn! Would be a helluva lot easier if we could just _borrow_ these dang books."

"Xu and Cid would figure out what we were doing. If our check out habits from the Library change too much too quickly..."

"Yeah yeah I hear ya." Irvine had heard the same argument before. Part of him knew Squall was right, the other remembered just how paranoid Squall was. "Just sayin' is all."

Aside from a flutter of pages on Squall's side of the table, Irvine felt no progress at all. He was stuck on the same page, words failed to process in his mind no matter how much he tried to force them in.

"You look tired."

When Irvine looked up he saw Squall watching. His left hand held down two pages, while his right held a pencil against a notebook. "You've been at this all afternoon. Go visit with Selphie and call it a night. I'll stay here and keep looking."

"Ya gotta be in tomorrow, doncha?"

"Tomorrow's Saturday. I can stay until the Library closes tonight."

Irvine was tempted. He couldn't concentrate and while it would accomplish nothing else, being at Selphie's side would at least make him feel better. But he wanted to be productive, so shook his head. "Nah, I'm good."

"You've been on that same page for the last hour."

Irvine tilted his head. "Ya got eyes on tha top o' yer head, Leonhart?"

"No I just pay attention. Go. _Sleep_. I can handle this."

"I'm alright," Irvine declared.

"Don't make me drag you out of the Library, Kinneas." The look on Squall's face betrayed that this was not an idle threat. His shoulders were squared to push up from the table at a moment's notice. All Irvine needed to do was provide the reason.

With a weary sigh, the sharpshooter slammed the book shut and rose to stand. He didn't miss the smug little smirk that arose on Squall's features as he wished Irvine a good night.

He hadn't realized he was so tired. He changed once his dorm was closed and fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. Too tired to dream, he was shocked awake hours later by dull thumps.

At first he thought he was still asleep and ignored it but when the sound persisted he rolled out of bed and stumbled to answer it. "I'm comin', I'm comin'..."

He unlocked the door to reveal Lieutenant-Commander Xu with arms crossed and a sour expression.

The pair did not get along. She was too by-the-book for his tastes and had a stick crammed so far up her ass it likely impeded her ability to slouch. Irvine was more laid back and liked to follow the road at his own leisure. To see her at his room was unprecedented and would normally garner some witty response on his part... if it wasn't so damned early in the morning.

"Come with me. _Now_."

"Can I get dressed first?"

The question caused Xu's eyes to darken. She flicked her gaze down and then back up before her lips formed a fine line. "You have two minutes."

It was more than enough time to grab anything even remotely clean and soon he fell into step with the elder woman. "Wha-?"

"Don't talk." Her tone was brisk with an underlying fury. He knew he wasn't her favourite person but she had always at least been civil with him. That was how she operated; she kept things professional. He'd never seen her so hostile or angry before and it put him on edge.

As they entered the hall Irvine noted through the windows along the upper walls that it was still dark out. He couldn't tell for how much longer, hell he'd barely even looked at the time as he'd gotten changed. Whenever he tried to speak she would snap back at him, like a dog at the end of a leash. _Quiet. Stop Talking. Shut up._

As they turned towards the Infirmary, his thoughts turned south. Had Selphie taken a turn for the worse? But then how was that _his_ fault? And why did Xu see fit to take it out on him?

The elder woman knocked on the Infirmary door three times, the sharp _raps_ echoed against the quiet night. The door slid open and the doctor looked between the pair before she stood aside and allowed them access. She locked the door behind them.

"Is Sefie okay?" Irvine managed to get out.

Xu shot him another look as she stalked down the path of cubicles. Dr. Kadowaki reached out and squeezed his shoulder. "Selphie's condition hasn't changed. We called you here for something else."

The doctor inclined her head in the direction of the Lieutenant-Commander who waited impatiently near the other end of the room. He was a foot away before she threw open the curtain and inclined her head beyond. When Irvine looked inside his blood ran cold and he heard the woman shift behind him.

" _Now_ you can start talking," said Xu as she indicated the unconscious form of Squall Leonhart.

It did not take long for him to recant all that happened over the last eight days. The longer he talked, the darker her expression grew until he had run out of things to tell her.

"Damn him. Damn you _both_."

"Y'all weren't doin' nuthin'! What else did ya expect us ta do?"

"To do as you were told! But clearly that was asking too much." Xu rubbed the bridge of her nose. "If you two hadn't stuck your noses in..."

"Then what? We'd be right back ta where we were before, with Selphie layin' here unresponsive."

"But at _least_ we'd have a _semi_ -functioning Commander. What _neither_ one of you seem to realize is SeeD _must_ be prepared for _anything_. Just because it didn't seem contagious _at first_ doesn't mean it couldn't change. How likely is it that a woman from the _future_ tries to influence the past by compressing time?!"

Whatever argument Irvine had died in his throat.

"I told the Headmaster that he'd pull something like this," Xu vented. "He did it before in Centra. Why wouldn't he do something now?"

 _But tha Headmaster wouldn't let ya freeze him out this time._ The thought crossed his mind unbidden but he did not argue the truth of it. When Rinoa had been in her coma Squall had managed to track down the one person who might have been able to help uncover what had happened to her. But before he could act on the information, Xu had organized a coup with the rest of the faculty. She'd judged the youth's capacity to lead had been compromised by the events and had stripped him of his rank and file, everything but name. "So then why didn't ya'll do sumthan ta stop him?"

Both the Doctor and the Lieutenant-Commander looked surprised. He would not just stand here and let her do this. When neither woman said a word he shook his head with a mirthless laugh. "Now I know ya'll hate that we went behind yer backs, but I ain't gonna just stand around and let ya blame him for endin' up like this."

"I don't need _your_ permission to do _anything_ , Kinneas." Xu's eyes were hard and her jaw clenched.

"Enough!" It was Dr. Kadowaki who threw up her hands and stepped between the two. "If all you're gonna do is point the finger at each other I'll have to ask you both to leave. My priority is to my patients, doesn't matter who they are or if they put themselves in here. Do I make myself clear?"

On any other occasion Irvine might have found it ridiculous that the plump doctor was making demands specifically out of Garden's Lieutenant-Commander, but her point was sound. They were in the Infirmary where she lay down the law with an iron fist and was not afraid to show to the door those who would not abide by them.

Irvine forced himself to calm down. He noted without satisfaction that Xu did the same. But her eyes were still hard and fierce as she said, "Regardless that he was acting on his own, you _exacerbated_ the situation when you went and had your little tantrum. Because of what you _both_ did Garden now has an epidemic and is on lock-down effective immediately. No one goes in or out until we can contain the spread."

Her words hit home and as the first threads of doubt formed in his gut he swallowed hard. The only person he'd thought of at all was Selphie. Regardless of whatever safety measures Squall had in place, clearly neither of them had considered the consequences of their actions. "But what about Squall and Sefie?"

"They're not going anywhere," Dr. Kadowaki assured. "We'll keep them here under constant observation."

"Though now we're going to have to come out with everything we know about the situation," Xu picked up. "And it isn't much."

It sounded like the Lieutenant-Commander had her work cut out for her this time. A part of him felt guilty. Another part considered that with the outcry she would face there was very little she would get accomplished. "Anythang I can do ta help?"

The look Xu fixed him cut him so sharply he took a step back. "Say out of the way. Garden took care of its own long before you showed up. And if I find out you've so much as placed one _toe_ out of line I will _personally_ see you shipped back to Galbadia with no hope of _ever_ coming back. You'll be lucky if Martine _even_ wants you after the stunt you pulled. Now get out of my sight."

He needed no further encouragement and hightailed it out of there.


	4. Separate Ways

**Chapter 4: Separate Ways**

When the news of the lock-down broke, no one was happy. Commuting students and staff were left stranded. This pissed off Zell to no end as his plans had been to spend the day with his mother. Apparently it was her birthday. Like Irvine could've known.

Names had been left out of it. Irvine wasn't sure why Xu didn't let Garden run their witch hunt, but he was grateful. Perhaps she didn't need the added stress. He guessed there would be paperwork involved if the residents killed him and that would detract from her current focus.

When he'd told his friends the part he played, they'd been furious. Quistis and Zell had shown no restraint and admonished Irvine for his irresponsible actions. As if he hadn't felt terrible enough. But he'd let them have their tirade. Strangely, Rinoa kept silent throughout it all. It was only when the blondes disappeared for the day he found out why.

"I had a bad feeling last night." He hadn't needed to prompt her. "Something in my gut told me something would happen. I thought it was nerves, or that I was being melodramatic. Squall said he was looking into some things but didn't want me involved in case I got into trouble with Xu but... but I should've pried it out of him. Then I had a nightmare. Just when I shook it off as a bad dream..." she shook her head, distressed at how she hadn't taken her suspicions seriously.

She wasn't alone. Irvine had let Squall to talk him into an early night. Ever since he saw him in the Infirmary with Selphie he had considered what would have happened if he'd refused the order. Would Squall really have risked exposing them to the rest of the room by physically removing the sharpshooter? If not, maybe he could have prevented whatever happened after.

Or maybe he would have joined him instead.

"It ain't yer fault," Irvine offered. She'd had no way to know that anything was wrong.

"It's not yours either, you know." She looked up and offered him a small smile while she scratched behind Angelo's ear. "Whether or not you chose to get involved, Squall was already looking into it. He's stubborn about his friends, nothing would have changed what he did."

She let out a sigh when the silence between them stretched. "I'm sorry I haven't been supportive about Selphie. I wanted to be but... I thought people would blame my powers for what happened. So I made excuses and stayed away. I think he probably knew but he didn't say anything until I brought it up. Then I realized how dumb it all sounded and we went together."

Irvine found himself unable to look the girl in the eye. He had assumed the worst of her, that the childish side of her had taken over and that she couldn't be bothered to feel sad when it had nothing to do with her. But that was the problem. Nothing Rinoa had done in the past should have given him a reason to suspect it would have. She had fought alongside SeeD in a war that was not hers because she thought it was the right thing to do, not because she stood to gain anything from it.

It made him feel like a hypocrite. He always stood up for her whenever someone made some sort of bottom-feeder comment, but when push came to shove he had made assumptions that were just as baseless.

"Do you wanna visit them now?"

When he looked back up he saw no judgment in her features, only concern. "Angelo could do with a walk and, well, I just wanna see them. Did you wanna come with me? You know, for moral support?"

Garden's atmosphere had changed. All conversations returned to the two people in the Infirmary and what caused the condition. There was genuine concern, not just for those who were unwell but of the danger it could pose to them all.

Irvine couldn't help but feel bitter. It wasn't fair that Squall's health was more important to SeeD than Selphie's. And it certainly wasn't fair to resent him for the views held by the people in Garden. Yet Irvine could not stop the judgment from passing. He did not voice his opinion for the same reason he had told Squall he forgave Rinoa the other night. She would feel like the brunet was under attack and spring to his defence without thought or hesitation. Worse still; she might even blame herself more than she already did.

When they entered the Infirmary Dr. Kadowaki waved them in without surprise. Immediately Irvine went for the two beds in the back of the room and Rinoa trailed along after him like a ghost. They watched as the pair slumbered on obliviously. Dr. Kadowaki assured them they weren't in any pain. It didn't make it any easier to see.

"Was this what it was like when _I_ was in that coma?" Rinoa could not hide the pain in her voice. "Did he feel this helpless? Not knowing what to do?"

Irvine did not actually know how much the Sorceress had been told about that time, or if Ultimecia had done all she could to ensure Rinoa knew the kind of torture she had put them all through. "All he could think about was helpin' ya," Irvine offered after a moment. "Then Xu benched him. He took exception."

When Rinoa chuckled there was no mirth to it. Her gaze did not leave the unconscious SeeD's face. "But he didn't let it stop him," she said after a second. "We can't either."

"What'dya reckon we do? Sneak 'em out?"

"Maybe..."

He should not have been surprised that she even considered the idea. Rinoa had once tried to make Ultimecia wear an Odine Bangle with the hopes that it was 'pretty enough'. Her ideas were rash and usually ill-formed but they came from a place of caring. Now he watched her features tighten in resolve as she said, "Garden's resources aren't infinite. What if we took them somewhere they can get long-term care? Balamb? Esthar?"

"And what if somehow we make thangs worse off than they are?" He sighed. "Last time I did sumthan Sefie ended up with a room-mate. Mebbe we'd be betta off leavin' thangs ta Xu and tha Headmaster. Let 'em handle it."

"I hope so." Rinoa's tone betrayed her doubts.

When he'd had enough he rose and was about to leave when Rinoa called the doctor over. "Um... would it be alright if I took Squall's jacket with me?"

"Of course you can! We've sanitized and disinfected it so there should be no risk of getting sick."

Rinoa nodded, claimed the beater that hung on the coat rack at the back of the room and shrugged it on. The sleeves fell past her fingertips and the bottom that should have only been chest high stopped at her waist.

The doctor turned her smile to Irvine. "You can take Selphie's too, if you'd like."

"That's mighty kind o' ya, but it's not likely ta fit."

But Rinoa had already retrieved the bright yellow monstrosity. "It's not about the fit but the sentimental value. C'mon. You know you wanna."

Gingerly he accepted the bundle and tucked it under his arm. "Thanks."

They left in higher spirits and took Angelo out into the quad where she could do her business. They stood along the balcony, with clouds that passed while they watched in sullen silence. A week ago, Irvine had mourned how bored he was. Now he'd give anything for his friends to be awake and healthy, off doing Hyne knew what.

Irvine and Rinoa split up after that. He returned to his dorm and considered that he was back to square one. He ended up in bed and dosed off and on before a knock at the door jarred him awake. When he unlocked it he was shocked to find Rinoa on the other side of it, Squall's jacket still on. But any cordial greeting died on Irvine's lips at the worried look on her face.

"I found Squall's journal."

Irvine let her inside. He locked the door behind her, not really sure why he did.

"I'm sorry." Rinoa's tone was panicked. "I _know_ you wanted to let Xu and Cid handle it, but I'm going stir crazy not knowing what to do. So... I peeked at his journal for any sort of clue..."

When they'd first discovered memory loss was a side effect from extensive Guardian Force use, the others had decided to keep a journal. It was supposed to be private (except for Selphie who posted hers on the Garden page) with the unvoiced promise to keep to theirs unless invited. With how private Squall was, the fact that Rinoa had gone through his was a huge violation of trust.

There had been no malicious intent but Irvine could see how guilty she felt even as she fingered the pages of the book she held. She sat down on the bed and opened the book. When he joined her he saw it was turned to the last journal entry – the pages beyond were all blank. "Most of the pages over the last week are reference numbers. Maybe to books he searched in the Library."

He thought back over the last couple of days and recalled the brunet always jotted something down as they sifted through texts. With Squall's stance on checking out their resources, it wasn't a stretch thatthe elder youth had kept note of which books he'd already read through in case he had to look back.

Unfortunately none of the reference numbers stood out to him. There were no titles, just page numbers and symbols.

"I think that he might have found something. But I can't figure out his notes. I hoped you might know."

"I can barely remember tha ones _I_ looked at let alone what _he_ rifled through. Mebbe by sight, but even that'd be a stretch."

"Somehow I just _know_ this book holds the answers." She rose. "I say we look into it, but I would understand completely if you'd rather leave it to Cid and Xu."

"Considerin' _I'm_ s'pose ta be stayin' outta it. Reckon if Xu found out, she'll have me outta here faster than ya can say _Transfer Denied_."

This was clearly not what she wanted to hear. Rinoa bit her lip anxiously. She wanted to be anything but idle and now that she had a direction to go in she was loathe to do so alone.

Irvine looked through the pages of Squall's journal again. He agreed with Rinoa's assessment but if they couldn't understand the scribbles and scrawls it was useless. It seemed possible that Squall had acted on what he'd discovered on his own. He had displayed a surprisingly impulsive streak during the war, so it wasn't unbelievable that it had gotten him into trouble.

Irvine considered how they could use this information to their advantage. They'd have to translate it somehow first, but so long as they were careful they could trace Squall's steps and pick up where he left off.

"Guess it's back ta tha Library." Irvine slapped the book against his thigh as he rose to stand. Rinoa looked elated that he had changed his mind. "But we're gonna play it cool."

"Okay," her voice shook with relief. "So how do we do that, exactly?"

"We ain't doin' it alone fer one. There's strength in numbers here and I reckon we should be on tha safe side."

* * *

They found Quistis in her classroom since she was unable to leave Garden. The moment she saw Irvine she had immediately told them to leave, uninterested in what the sharpshooter had to say for himself. He doubted he would have gotten her quiet long enough to tell her anything if he'd been alone.

Fortunately Rinoa had spent almost a life-time being ignored by her father and had learned to adapt if she wanted to be heard. Throughout Quistis's protests and exclamations that _**s**_ he did not want to be involved, Rinoa had stuckto her guns and talked over while she indicated the journal. Eventually the blonde gave up long enough for them to tell her the plan.

She did not seem impressed. "Xu _specifically_ told you to stay out of it, so now you want to involve _all_ of us in your scheme?" She sighed. "You _know_ she will follow through on her threat."

"Look, tha way I see it Squall left us a message." Irvine held the journal out to her. "We just gotta figure out what he's tryin' ta say. And as the self-styled _Expert Squall Observer_ I reckoned ya might be able ta figure out this jargon. At least help us get started."

She stared at the offered book for a moment with arms folded before she took it. Eyes darted along the pages behind silver glasses, back and forth, back and forth, until she handed the journal back to Irvine with a shrug. "I can't make _any_ sense of this. It's just _numbers_."

He swallowed his disappointed curse. "It ain't like Squall to work in riddles."

"Squall probably didn't expect _anyone_ to look through his journal. All I can say is it _might_ be a reference point he prepared in case he had to refer back to something." She gestured to the book and added, "You should show this to Xu or the Headmaster."

"They won't understand it anymore than _we_ do. And even if they could, they'll jes assume I went fishin'."

"Not if you tell them the truth."

"They won't believe that! Even if I said _I_ was the one who found it, they'd just assume we went snooping and are trying to cover our tracks." Rinoa planted both her hands on her hips. "You don't want to see Irvine sent away, do you?"

" _None_ of us want that _._ But there are better ways to go about this than going around Xu's back. After all, look where it got Squall."

"But ya know Squall," Irvine cut in before Rinoa could become defensive. "He probably reckoned he had everythan' unda control and tried ta deal with it all without askin' fer help. That was _his_ mistake. If we all work tagetha – yes even Zell – we can figure this out _and_ watch each otha's backs. If we can't figure it out by tha end o' tha day, ya can bring what ya know ta Xu and we'll go from there."

"I suppose I can hold off for a day," agreed Quistis with a sigh. "But _you_ will be the one to tell Xu. _Both_ of you. She'll go easier on you if you're honest with her and turn yourselves in."

Irvine didn't like his chances but he judged by the hard look the blonde fixed him this was a deal breaker. So he nodded his consent and Rinoa followed suit.

"So I guess we'll have to start looking through _everything_ he read. Maybe if we split up the work load we can pick up where he left off. _I'd_ really like to start today but..."

"No you can start today if you'd like to Rinoa," Quistis interjected. "You spend a lot of time in the Library anyway so it won't be out of the ordinary. Take Squall's journal with you, it might help. Once I finish up in here I'll find Zell and let him know what we're doing."

Irvine agreed that Rinoa did spend a lot of time in the Library. Yet she'd been suspiciously absent when he and Squall would meet up. Then Irvine thought about what she'd been told: Squall had wanted to keep her uninvolved. It was possible Rinoa had stayed away from the Library. Either she'd come up with the idea herself or Squall insisted.

When Quistis turned back to Irvine her features were terse as she said, "You had best lay low for the time being. Spend the day in the Infirmary with Selphie and Squall, or do whatever you usually do on your days off. Keep it simple and don't act suspiciously. We'll meet in the Library tomorrow morning."

As Rinoa and Irvine left the classroom, he couldn't help but wonder who had put Quistis in charge but allowed the question to slide. The elder girl was bossy but could mobilize and organize a group better than most people he knew. Maybe that was what they needed; someone to guide them as they looked into the mystery.


	5. Extraneous Variables

**Chapter 5: Extraneous Variables**

* * *

The following morning the group all sat huddled around a library table. With Squall's journal in the centre they grabbed anything they could find that mentioned comas and sudden collapse. Some of these books Irvine had read before, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to check them again.

As they thumbed through pages of texts they whispered potential causes. Zell was little help. Anything he offered amounted to conspiracy theories but the more sane explanations didn't fit any better.

"We could try running the tests again," Rinoa suggested.

Quistis shook her head. "There wasn't anything when they tested Selphie before. There's less of a chance to find anything now."

"Could be a body-double," Zell offered. "You see it _all_ the time in movies. People get abducted and switched out by spies meant to topple down the establishment."

"This ain't a movie," Irvine said as he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, but homicidal Sorceresses don't try to destroy the past either. I mean, if you take Ultimecia into account _anything's_ possible. We got nuthin' else, right?"

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to request a simple DNA test," Quistis remarked. Irvine stared in horror that she entertained the notion. She sighed in response. "We don't have anything else. It's worth a shot if only to rule it out."

"I reserve the right to say 'I told you so' if their DNA comes back alien," the brawler added.

"And to be fair I will extend our arrangement until _after_ we see the results," Quistis supplied. "We've made decent headway with the books, but it's going to take longer than I thought to comb through it all, even _with_ the four of us working on it."

"We should probably take a break then." Rinoa stretched her arms above her head. "I have to feed and walk Angelo, then get something to eat myself."

The sharpshooter didn't really want to take a break but his eyes started to burn and his stomach had been neglected. He ended up with Rinoa again as she walked Angelo to the quad. Armed with plastic bags the Sorceress was silent as they threaded past the student body, most of whom gave her a wide berth and avoided even a glance. It was discrimination born from a lifelong fear of Sorceresses and it wasn't fair.

"This sucks," Rinoa huffed as they reached the base of the Quad's stairs. She raised her hand only slightly before Angelo rushed out to the brush in search of just the right spot.

Not for the first time Irvine marvelled at how well trained the collie was. Angelo was just over a year old and followed every command to the letter. She could even fight alongside them regardless of the enemy they faced. It was not just a testament to her breed, but to how good a trainer Rinoa was.

But the Sorceress wasn't complaining about her duties as a pet owner or the behaviour of the Garden dwellers. Even if she had reason for it.

"Squall didn't reckon anyone but him'd be lookin' through his journal," Irvine reasoned.

"I know... I just wish he'd left us _something_ we could work with. He's usually so blunt when he has a lead, I'm not used to having to work out what he's trying to tell us."

Irvine arched an eyebrow. From the very start the taciturn gunblader had always pushed everyone else away and pretended not to care. Throughout it all the sharpshooter and the others had learned to see through his double-talk and in most cases they found the truth in what he had to say. Even if it took them a little while to figure it out.

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "I mean, not since the beginning of the war."

He chuckled at her expense as he turned his gaze to the sky above them.

"What if we _can't_ figure this thing out? What if Garden can't fix this. What'll we do then?"

Irvine didn't have an answer for her. Did that mean Squall and Selphie would remain comatose the rest of their lives as the world went on around them? Until they finally died from _something_?

He didn't want to think about it.

Rinoa didn't either, because she called Angelo out from the plants she hid behind before he could answer. "Let's grab something to eat and get back to work."

* * *

Productivity over the next two days suffered as Quistis was unable to help out. The blonde had classes to teach on the Monday and there had been a faculty meeting she could not avoid the following day.

It was Irvine, Zell and Rinoa who combed over book after book with no end in sight. One of the library committee members agreed to keep quiet about the subject they researched, after she asked multiple times if they need help finding specific material. She became an unofficial member of the team as a result. Even though they took their food breaks in shifts, it felt like they could do nothing to maintain their optimum work rate. By the end of the day Irvine thought his eyes would bleed out of his skull.

The DNA results came back on the third day. The body-doubles theory was officially debunked but Zell refused to let it go. He insisted that aliens had somehow managed to replicate DNA to thwart such tests. Irvine made a mental note to ignore him whenever the subject came up for the sake of progress.

He braced himself for the reminder of his deal with Quistis only to be pleasantly shocked when the elder girl failed to mention it. Initially he thought she had forgotten but when time passed on with still no word, he suspected the mystery had gotten to her. She seemed just as frustrated as everyone else when they concluded the day with no breakthrough or answer.

Irvine was woken on the forth morning by loud banging on his he unlocked it, Zell stood on the other side with a solemn look. "It happened again."

Dread consumed Irvine. "Who?"

"Quistis."

Two minutes later he stood in front of the Infirmary changed from his sleepwear with Zell. Rinoa had shown up before either of them and was in a damn near panic when they'd arrived.

A juniorclassman had discovered the instructor in the hall by her classroom on the second floor. She wouldn't wake up no matter what was done and Security brought her to the Infirmary. Zell was jogging around the central hall and saw them bring her down in a stretcher before he'd gotten Rinoa and Irvine out of bed.

No one was allowed in the Infirmary. The Lieutenant-Commander had come and gone. She had grilled Irvine but the other two had stepped up in his defence to offer him an alibi. Secretly he couldn't help but wonder if he really wasn't responsible. First Squall, now Quistis, both approached by the sharpshooter days before. Had he endangered Zell and Rinoa by involving them as well?

"What if it's Ultimecia's revenge?" Zell asked when they were in the Library later. "I mean, everyone whose collapsed was on the team that fought her, right?"

Irvine wished Rinoa had joined them if only to serve as a buffer. She'd returned to the Infirmary to see if visitors were being let in yet. "Ultimecia's dead, Zell. If it was her fault, I reckon it woulda happened right after tha war ended."

"Yeah but, she wasn't exactly _dumb_ either." It seemed Zell was more interested in this theory than his original body-double hypothesis. "I mean, she wouldn't attack us right away, she'd wait for us to drop our guard."

"She's got an ego tha size o' Esthar. She'd have _wanted_ us ta know it was her."

"Look, just hear me out. First Selphie collapses in Timber _where we first met Ultimecia_ , right? For no good reason? Then Squall drops when he gets too close. Another four days, Quistis is next. What did all _three_ of them have in common? _Ultimecia_!"

" _And_ tha orphanage. _And_ they're SeeD. _And_ they all live _here_."

"I meant aside from the obvious. _Specifically_ them. Squall and Selphie have brown hair, but Quistis is blonde. Quistis and Squall have blue eyes but Selphie's are green. Selphie and Quistis are girls, Squall's a guy. Selphie and Squall graduated at the same time. Aside from being SeeD and affiliated with Garden, the only other thing they have in common is _Ultimecia_."

Irvine could not argue the logic. Though she had been able to meddle in their time from the future, there was still no way she could have come back after she had been killed. To argue that this was Ultimecia from before they had killed her would disrupt the idea of revenge, since they wouldn't have killed her yet.

Besides, Irvine hated thinking about it. Subjects like Time Compression made his head hurt.

"I think I found something out that could help us." Irvine watched as Rinoa joined them at the table. She had a burst of energy he hadn't seen from her in days. "Finally got into the Infirmary and I overheard something while I was there."

"Don't leave us hangin'!" Zell demanded. "Spit it out!"

Rinoa took a breath and released it quickly in her eagerness to say, "There were traces of skin particles found under Quistis's fingernails."

Zell and Irvine both exchanged glances. That was a tell-tale sign of a struggle. Quistis didn't just collapse. She was _attacked_.

"Xu told the doctor to test it against everything they have in Garden's database. Whoever's responsible is still here. Lock-down hasn't let anyone leave the grounds since Squall was found. When Xu left, I asked the doctor about it and admitted that I'd overheard. I told her I wanted to know who attacked her and I asked her to tell me when the test comes back."

"But that don't make a lick o' sense," Irvine argued when he got over his initial shock. "Why's Quistis got tha only signs of a struggle?"

"Quistis's been a SeeD longer than either of 'em," Zell offered. "Maybe Squall got jumped before he could respond and Selphie got attacked in Timber so..."

"No Irvine's right," Rinoa interjected. "Squall was already looking into Selphie's condition, so he would have been prepared for anything."

"Squall works out about as regularly as you do," Irvine added. "He's all muscle and weighs tha most outta everyone in the Infirmary. Plus he's almost always junctioned."

Zell's eyes lit up. "Hey yeah, you're right. So then why the hell didn't Squall fight back at all?"

"Exactly."

"Even if it brings up more questions than answers, the fact that we now have proof of an attack _and_ a way to identify the attacker helps us out," Rinoa pointed out. "I'm gonna stake out the Infirmary for those results. But aside from that I'm not sure what else we can do."

"I was thinkin' about that too," Zell said. "I mean the research hasn't gotten us anywhere so I thought I might reach out to Matron or Sis. See if either have any ideas we haven't thought of _ **.**_ "

"That actually sounds like a good idea," Irvine marvelled. Zell offered him a scowl at the jab. "Guessing yer gonna head out ta do that now?"

"Well I've got stuff I gotta take care of today anyway," Zell shrugged. "So yeah I was thinking I'd add that to the list. What're you gonna do Irvine?"

"I'm still convinced Squall was onta sumthan. I'll stick around here and keep lookin' through these books. Might get clearer if we can find where he left off."

"We can meet up in front of the dorms in two hours then," Rinoa suggested. "I might not have the results yet, but at least if we hear back Edea and Ellone we'll have a better idea of what to do next."

Irvine kept a strict watch on the clock as he slogged through book after book. He still couldn't make head or tail of Squall's codes and started to think that maybe handing the book over to Xu might be the best course of action. Even if she couldn't figure it out herself, she had SeeDs at her disposal who might be able to decode it. Or so he hoped. All he was doing was wasting time and energy at this point.

He left the Library to meet up with the others but found that he was the only one who showed up. He waited ten minutes before he decided to visit Zell's dorm first. If the brawler got side-tracked he was going to kill him.

When he reached the blond's room, the door slid open without the code _ **.**_ Zell was even worse about his privacy than Squall was and only because they had all taken turns breaking into the brunet's room. Irvine pulled Exeter out from within the folds of his trench coat and took slow, measured steps into the room.

Zell's room at the Garden was vastly different to the one at his mother's house in Balamb. A laundry basket sat in the corner filled to the brim with clothes that likely needed washing. Books, mostly comics or magazines, covered much of the floor and made it difficult to manoeuvre around. His bed was left unmade, with the comforter left to hang off the side of the mattress.

Irvine had flashbacks to his days as a cadet at G-Garden and knew Martine would flip his shit if he saw a student's room in such disarray during inspection.

When he stepped further into the room he noticed the phone was off its hook, the cord stretched into the adjacent bathroom and out of view. He followed it and found Zell sprawled out on his front on the tiled floor, the handle of the phone loosely gripped in hand. A once over revealed the brawler was still alive and unharmed, but strangely there were no signs of a struggle or an attack _this time_. He retrieved the handle and put it to his ear, only to hear a dial tone.

Whatever call Zell had been about to make, he hadn't been given the chance.

Irvine tried to pick him up off the ground, but gave up when he realized it was too much for him to manage alone. Rinoa hadn't shown up yet; either she was delayed and lost track of the time or she got tied up with her own task.

He hung the phone back up on the cradle then grabbed it and dialed a number.

A few minutes later the door slid open and allowed the visitor entrance. "This is starting to become a pattern," Lieutenant-Commander Xu said as she entered. "Why are you even here?"

"Zell's a friend of mine," Irvine answered. "We made plans fer tha afternoon and came ta get 'im when I realized I'd been stood up. Found him like this." He led the elder woman into the bathroom and pointed at the prone blond. "Only thang I touched was tha phone when I called ya down here."

She eyed him critically and he knew she was picking apart his words for any sign of deceit. She would find nothing: everything he told her was technically true and as long as she didn't dig for details it would stay that way.

Eventually she gave up. "Grab his arms. I'll grab his feet."

They made it out of the dorms before he saw some students idling just down the hall. Xu was curt when she ordered them to give them a hand and within minutes they reached the Infirmary.

As they passed through the sliding doors Rinoa barely looked up at them but as soon as she did her features dropped into surprise and concern. It was all he was able to discern as he helped Xu guide the brawler to another free bed but what he had seen of the Sorceress put him on edge. The girl was naturally pale but she looked almost ghostly and her gaze had been unfocused before she'd registered them.

When the brawler was situated, everyone who was considered _unessential_ was forced out of the Infirmary. The lock as it slid into place seemed to echo as the enlisted cadets went off to do their own thing.

"What happened?" Rinoa rounded on him before he could say anything.

But the sharpshooter was more concerned with why she looked so shaken up. He tried to ask her but she cut him off and repeated her question. Reluctant to ignore her condition Irvine updated her as they stood along the railing and looked over at the pond beneath them.

When he was finished Rinoa did not look any different. Her features were grave and she remained silent as she stared into the water. "Are you okay?"

He expected to be ignored again but before he could repeat his question she shook her head. Rinoa swallowed thickly and slowly turned away from the pond to look in him in the eye as she told him, "I know who attacked Quistis."


	6. Lost Faith

**Chapter 6: Lost Faith**

* * *

The cafeteria was deserted this time of day. Students were either holed up in the Library, involved with their respective committees or in the Training Centre. A group near the entrance gathered around two students in the middle of a triple triad sharpshooter and Sorceress managed to pass by unnoticed.

"What did the DNA results say?" Irvine asked when they sat down, careful to keep his voice low and light.

Rinoa shook her head. "They haven't finished comparing yet."

Confused, he leaned back. "Then how do ya know who attacked Quistis?"

She looked down and mumbled something under her breath that he missed. When he asked her to repeat herself she looked back up at him. "Squall had scratches on his left arm."

"So? Mebbe he had 'em all along and nobody-"

"He didn't." Her eyes were watery. "While I was loitering I saw his arm was wrapped up. When I asked the doctor, she said she'd thought it was weird that they showed up out of the blue. That's when I realized he attacked Quistis."

"But it couldn't a been him. He was attacked _before_ Quistis was."

"I _know_ that! But then how do you explain the marks?"

Irvine didn't have an answer.

Rinoa squeezed her eyes shut and dropped her head into her hands. Her shoulders shuddered as she muffled, "They're gonna think he did this, that he's faking his condition to avoid suspicion. He's _not,_ I _know_ he's not, but how're we gonna prove it if we don't even know what's going on?"

"Somehow we're being targeted," he said, convinced more than ever. "Whatever's causing this wants ta throw up a smokescreen but we're not gonna let 'em."

Before he could say more he heard chairs scrape across the floor. He looked up to see the card players split in a hurry. When they were out of sight, he saw a lone figure scowling with arms folded across her chest. He tugged at Rinoa's sleeve and she swallowed thickly at who he gestured at.

"You two," Xu snarled. "With me. _Now_."

* * *

When they arrived Xu circled around her desk and settled behind a stack of papers that took up the majority of space. She reached under her desk and a sharp _click_ sounded that made them jump. Just like that they were locked inside. Rinoa backed up against the wall, hands held behind her back as she stared at the floor like a child in trouble. Tear tracks still ran down her face.

As Xu leaned back in her chair, her arms remained folded. "Someone start talking."

"This is all my fault."

Before he could continue Rinoa cut in. "No it was _mine."_ Her voice shook, still choked with emotion. "Irvine was dead set against investigating but I pulled him back into it."

"If I hadn't been stickin' mah nose in where it didn't belong..."

"There's no way to know for sure that without the initial interference..."

"Shut. Up." Both obeyed instantly. Xu glared at the pair through angled eyes as she said, "Right now I'm not interested in whose fault this is, or who wants to fall on their sword for the other. I have _four_ comatoseSeeDs with no explanation and you _both_ have been running around behind my back for the last week. It. Stops. _Now_. Am I understood?"

"I'm stayin' outta it," Irvine agreed. "You've got mah word on that this time."

Xu laughed, bitter and mirthless. "Kinneas, right now your word means _shit_ to me." He winced and her glare shifted to Rinoa. " _You're_ not a member of Garden. You're not affiliated with SeeD and yet we allow you to stay both in gratitude for your efforts during the war _and_ because both Squall _and_ the Headmaster vouched for you. _This_ is the thanks we get?"

Rinoa's gaze remained pointed at the floor. She sniffled back tears and said nothing.

"Normally I'd have _both_ of your asses in a sling for this, but you're lucky that I don't have the time to waste. At least not right this minute. There will be reparations, believe you me, but for now I want to know everything and I mean _everything_ you have pooled together, so start talking."

When both Irvine and Rinoa were about to speak, the Lieutenant-Commander raised her hand. "One. At. A. Time."

Rinoa stepped forward and dropped Squall's journal on the desk. "I went snooping for clues in Squall's dorm after he collapsed. The last pages are references for books he looked through and the information he gathered."

Xu opened it and sifted through the pages. Her eyes narrowed. "They're just numbers."

"We know," Irvine added. "They were meant as a guide for _him._ He probably didn't expect anyone ta rummage through it for clues. We can't make head or tail of it."

"His short-hand for reference," Xu explained as she set the book aside. "SeeDs are encouraged to utilize their own short-hand for quick reference and note taking. Usually it's ends up being like a personal signature."

"Can ya crack it?"

"Only if we have a sample source with its meaning, but that could take a while. Weeks if not _months_. Without Squall to translate them himself we're looking at a time sink."

His heart fell at the news. It was not the answer he'd hoped for.

"So why the DNA tests on Squall and Selphie?" Xu asked.

"Zell's theory involved body-doubles," Rinoa explained. "He thought maybe they had been switched out for look-a-likes. Quistis didn't think it would hurt to check, just to be safe."

"She was humouring him," Irvine added.

Xu looked equally dubious. "And?"

"Tha test came back and identified 'em as who we knew they were."

"Zell still wouldn't rule out his theory," Rinoa added.

"Though he did come up with anotha one," Irvine admitted. "He thought that maybe tha Sorceress had plotted revenge and only just unleashed it now."

"But Ultimecia's dead, isn't she?"

"Yeah but I reckon he mighta been onta sumthan. Everyone who's collapsed was on tha team that travelled through Time Compression ta face her. We're all linked in that way, but aside from that we ain't got much in common. I doubt it's tha Sorceress, but its definitely _someone_ who knows about us."

"What about the orphanage?" Xu asked. "You all had that, didn't you?"

"Zell was gonna reach out ta Matron ta see if she knew anythan'. He didn't get tha chance."

"So you don't have much more to go on than we do. The surveillance team's searching for footage of Quistis's attack so we'll know something soon, but you've both given me plenty to think about."

She stopped as Irvine and Rinoa exchanged glances and her gaze became hard once more. "What?"

Rinoa swallowed thickly but said nothing. Irvine gave the raven-haired girl a meaningful look but she shook her head.

"What are you hiding now?" Xu demanded.

Noting Rinoa's resistance and reluctance, Irvine decided that full disclosure was in order. It was the only way to win back Xu's trust. "Squall attacked Quistis."

"What?" The confession caught the Lieutenant-Commander off guard and for a moment she sputtered. "How? He was-"

"Incapacitated before Quistis was, we know. We're not sure how either." Rinoa shot him a look filled with disbelief and betrayal. It stung but he forced himself to ignore it. "But Rinoa says tha Doc told her 'bout some scratches she found on his arm. They weren't there before tha attack."

"He's _not_ faking!" Rinoa declared. "He really _is_ in the same position as the others. When Zell was attacked, I was in the infirmary and Squall was _still_ there. There _has_ to be another explanation."

"The teams are already looking into that night so we'll know for sure soon enough," Xu suggested. "But if the Commander _is_ the one responsible for the attack, I won't be able to ignore it. Everything he's done will come into scrutiny for the safety of Garden and its occupants. He'll have to be detained as well." Xu sounded unhappy yet resigned. "And I'm sorry but I can't rule out the possibility – however remote – that he's faking. Squall's a SeeD and he's been trained as such. He would know how to play possum."

"But for _this_ long?"

"I never said _I_ thought he was faking. But we can't rule it out until we know for sure."

"Then Rinoa and I'll have a look at tha tapes." Xu's features turned incredulous. If it had been under normal circumstances, Irvine would have taken a picture for posterity. Even Rinoa stared at him in surprise. "Ya said ya needed ta comb through surveillance tapes. Let us do it. We can repay ya fer sneakin' 'round on our own _and_ watch through Squall's actions over tha last coupla weeks. Anythan comes up, we'll call ya."

"What makes you think you can find something that a fully capable surveillance team can't?"

"Nuthin'. But I reckon ya'd rather know what we were doin' than havin' ta find out about it later. It'd be easier to keep an eye on us if ya'd let us work with ya instead of sidelinin' us. And with tha progress we made on our own, who knows what we'll accomplish if we work tagetha."


	7. Point of View

**Chapter 7: Point of View**

* * *

He hadn't expected it to work.

The moment he even mentioned it he figured he had finally pushed too far. Instead they were both in the surveillance room and sifted through security footage from the last two weeks.

Of course Xu hadn't left them alone. With them was a small surveillance team with instructions to oversee the pair. SeeDs were stationed at the door, in the event the outsiders opted to try anything.

Since the meeting in Xu's office Rinoa had not said a word to him. No matter how hard he tried, she just shrank closer to her monitor and tuned him out _ **.**_ She was furious for what she saw as a betrayal of trust. Irvine understood her feelings and under any other circumstances he would have kept his mouth shut. But if they wanted Xu to work with them there had to be some give and take. It would take a blind idiot to truly believe Squall was responsible for all of this and if they held back this information it would only hurt them.

They spent two days in that room with different shifts of surveillance teams. Xu demanded half-hourly reports on their progress. She probably expected them to withhold information and even though it was tedious work Irvine was willing to play ball. So far they had not found anything through the footage. The time between Selphie's return to Garden and Squall's collapse a week later was exactly as he had expected but there had to be something recorded, something that could help them.

He'd bet his hat on it.

The time passed sporadically, with no break taken by either youth. He would blink only to realize the screens had progressed without his knowledge. Rinoa had her back to him so he could never gauge if she fared the same.

Someone shook him awake during one of his long blinks. He jumped out of his chair, his scattered thoughts jumbled together as Rinoa dragged him by the arm to her station. All anger was forgotten as she pointed at a monitor. "I think I found something."

With excitement building he called at the surveillance guys while Rinoa flopped back into her chair and started the video. By the time the SeeD had joined them the screen showed Irvine as he walked out of the Library and down the hall. But when he checked the time stamp he realized the Library would not close for another couple of hours. He wondered why he had left so early until he saw the date in the upper right hand corner with the time stamp.

It was the day Squall collapsed.

"What're..." Rinoa cut him off with a hiss as she pointed at the screen.

They watched as the Squall studied through the books on the table in front of him. Occasionally he moved to a book shelf, scoured the racks for a particular item before he withdrew it and returned. Then as the time stamp read a half hour before the Library closed, Squall wrote something down, returned a book to the shelf and left.

Irvine frowned in contemplation. "Find tha footage of tha hall."

It wasn't until Rinoa pushed her chair back that the SeeD hit a few commands on the keyboard across from her. After he paused the screen, another one flashed and showed the area across from the Library entrance. The SeeD logged the dates that matched the time stamp and adjusted until they saw Squall emerge into the hall and start towards the elevator by the directory.

"Fast forward it," Rinoa ordered.

The SeeD did as told and the brisk walk Squall took transformed into a quick jaunt as he disappeared around the corner and out of view. The SeeD adjusted the screen on another monitor and after a moment they were able to pick up where they left off. Squall quickly crossed the distance from the Library and disappeared down the path towards the Infirmary.

"Why do you think he's headed there?" Rinoa wondered aloud.

Irvine didn't have an answer, though his thoughts returned to the book the brunet put away. If they could find it, maybe it would yield a clue. But he couldn't be entirely sure. "Keep watchin'," he suggested. Maybe the answer would present itself.

Doctor Kadowaki was ready to close up for the night but stopped when Squall entered. They spoke – their words muted without audio – and the Doctor moved to her office as Squall went to the end of the room. He stopped in front of Selphie's bed – the diminutive SeeD almost out of view from the angle of the video.

"Hey, slow it down," Irvine instructed and the SeeD did as told. The image returned to regular speed.

Squall did not get any closer than the foot of Selphie's bed. Hands pressed at his side, he occasionally moved around the bed. What he looked for, no one could tell; half the time his back was to the camera. He did this for another minute before he stepped back, head down and pressed his fingers to his forehead. After a moment, the arm lowered and he repeated his previous actions.

Rinoa sat up with a gasp. "Did you see that?"

"He cast a spell, didn't he?" Irvine asked. Rinoa nodded. "Which one?"

"I don't know, I can't tell just from the video." She squinted as she watched Squall continue his examination. He jumped in surprise so abruptly he backed into the wall behind him then started for the door. Doctor Kadowaki emerged from her office just in time to see him go. She looked behind her then followed after him.

"What did the Commander see?" The SeeD asked as he adjusted the view of yet another monitor.

"The only thing I'm sure about is he cast Scan," Rinoa said. "With other spells you can _see_ what the effects are. Even Protect and Shell. But you can't see what happens with Scan at all."

"Makes sense," Irvine agreed. Scan could also simulate night vision goggles and pinpoint minuscule things that were almost invisible to the eye. It could also detect magic or magic-effects. "Think ya can get a gander?"

"Rewind the tape." Rinoa added a please when the SeeD gave her an uncomfortable look. Soon they were back to the point where Squall had started his search.

As she closed her eyes Irvine could feel magic pool around the Sorceress. While she did not assume her casting stance Irvine was aware of which spell she used and waited for the effects to take hold, even as the other SeeD prepped the next footage. When she opened her eyes, her gaze was hazy and out of focus, like some kind of film had fallen over the pupils and turned the browns of her eyes to chalky grey.

She watched the scene unfold once again, her features pursed in concentration and betrayed nothing as she watched the young man flee the Infirmary, followed soon after by the doctor. She blinked and shook her head. "It had no effect. Whatever he saw we need to be there in person to see it too."

"The next monitor's ready for you," the SeeD offered. Once given the signal he started the file.

Squall emerged from the Infirmary but only made as far as the cafeteria before he stopped and collapsed. The doctor tried to rouse him but to no avail.

Rinoa cursed and fell back into her seat. "So we _still_ don't know why he suddenly collapsed." Then she turned to Irvine, her features hopeful. "But we at least know he found _something_."

"That book he put away. Ya reckon if we find it, it might give us a clue?"

Before she could answer there was movement from nearby. He saw the rest of the surveillance team fly out of their seats. "What's wrong?"

"All units!" Another SeeD spoke into a communications device. But whatever else he said was drowned out as the rest of his team fled the room.

Irvine and Rinoa exchanged puzzled glances,but it didn't take long for him to realize what was wrong. On the far wall where the other people had been cloistered for the last two days was an array of monitors that matched the ones Rinoa and Irvine watched. But what was different about them was that their view of Garden was in real time.

And under the section labelled 'Infirmary' all they could see was static.


	8. Hidden in Plain Sight

**Chapter 8: Hidden in Plain Sight**

* * *

The elevator was gone by the time Rinoa and Irvine reached it. With a curse he signalled for the her to follow him as he ran for the stair well. When they reached the ground floor he found they were right across from the Infirmary. Rinoa burst open the door with a blast of magic as Irvine crossed the threshold, but the sight within caused him to skid to a stop.

Tables and trolleys had been knocked onto their sides. Papers and instruments were strewn across the floor. In the middle of the mess was Kadowaki, who climbed to her feet as she held the palm of her hand against her head. Rinoa acted instantly and guided her to a nearby bed.

"What happened?" Irvine asked. The _clunking_ of footfalls directed his attention. When he turned he saw the surveillance team had caught up, weapons raised as they entered the room. Two of them moved to the doctor's office, her door left ajar while the others cleared the rest of the room.

"I don't know," Dr. Kadowaki confessed with a grunt. Rinoa retrieved a cloth from an upended cabinet and was back at the doctor's side. She attempted to press it against the elder woman's head as she spoke. "I was in my office when I heard a commotion but when I came out to investigate someone must've hit me on my head. Next thing I know I'm on the floor and you all show up."

"There's no one else in the room," one of the SeeDs reported. "We've already contacted the Lieutenant-Commander; she should be down here in the next minute or so."

"You didn't see who attacked you, did you doctor?" Another SeeD asked in concern.

Dr. Kadowaki shook her head. Then she rose suddenly and when Rinoa tried to press her back down, she was unsuccessful. "Where the _hell_ are my patients?"

It took him a moment to realize Dr. Kadowaki was right. The SeeDs, Rinoa, the doctor and Irvine were the only ones in the room.

The four beds occupied by the unconscious SeeDs were empty.

* * *

"How's the doctor?" Rinoa asked as both she and Irvine rose to stand.

Once Xu had arrived the SeeDs had gotten to work. The outsiders were ushered out to sit on a nearby bench. It was only when the Lieutenant-Commander emerged from the Infirmary that they realized they were about to get some answers.

"She's a little bruised," Xu answered, "but she'll be alright. Her students are looking after her right now."

"Any word on why tha camera's crapped out?" Irvine asked.

Xu shook her head. "The surveillance teams have run diagnostics and they were all confirmed operational. Whatever caused the malfunction seems to have resolved itself for now. We'll keep an eye on them all the same. Speaking of cameras, did either of you find anything?"

"Squall saw something the night he collapsed," Rinoa was quick to say. "We don't know what it was, but he practically ran out of the Infirmary before he collapsed in the hall."

"Doctor Kadowaki said something along those lines when I questioned her, but she thought it was a symptom. You're positive it was something he _saw_?"

Rinoa nodded. "He cast scan and examined the area at the back of the room, backed into the wall and left in a hurry. I tried watching the video under the same spell but couldn't see what he saw."

"So you want to scan the area?" Xu said. Rinoa nodded. "Alright then, c'mon."

Xu led the pair back through the Infirmary. They bypassed yellow caution tape and stopped in front of the final bed. The Lieutenant-Commander closed her eyes in concentration as she outstretched her hands in front of her. When opened she had the same hazy look but after a moment she blinked to cancel the spell. "I don't see anything. Whatever he saw – whatever was _there_ – is gone now. Did you find anything else?"

Before Irvine could answer, a SeeD member stepped between Irvine and Rinoa. "Ma'am, Dr. Kadowaki is ready for questioning." When he looked to his left he seemed to only realize Rinoa was beside him. He stepped away as the Lieutenant-Commander acknowledge him.

"Hold that thought," she said before she followed after the SeeD.

Irvine scarcely waited a minute before he started for the exit. Rinoa made a surprised sound from the back of her throat and followed. "Xu said..."

"There's anutha hunch we can look inta while she checks in on tha doc." After he indicated he wanted to leave, the SeeD who stood guard unlocked the door and allowed him to pass. Rinoa trailed along behind him.

"What hunch?" She seemed to catch up a second later. "The book in the library?"

"Ya remember where that book got shoved? I reckon I do. And even if it got moved, we might still be able ta find it."

Soon they entered the Library but just as they passed through the doors one of the girls manoeuvred around the desk to cut them off. "We need to talk." She gestured for them to follow her.

Irvine recognized the dark-skinned girl as one of Alicia's friends. Unsure of what she might want, he and Rinoa followed her. They found themselves in a corner. The girl looked over her shoulder briefly before she said in a harsh whisper, "You've got some nerve."

"Hey," Rinoa protested. "We just got here! We haven't done anything."

"Look, I know you guys asked Alicia to keep what you were up to here all hush-hush, but that does _not_ give you the right to do whatever you want with the reading material. You could get her into _serious_ trouble! With what's happened to Zell, she's already been through enough."

"What're ya talkin' about?"

"Oh gimme a break! You guys were writing notes right? I don't mind you taking exerts out of books every now and then but writing _in_ them is _not_ okay. I managed to cover with Instructor Addams but next time you feel the need to write something down, just ask us. We've got plenty of paper."

Neither Irvine nor Rinoa knew what she was on about. No one had written in any of the books when they had gathered there for research. In fact, no one had taken any notes at all except...

Irvine's eyes widened in realization. "Which book was it?"

"I'll show you." The girl moved back behind the counter and pulled the desired book out from under a stack. "You're lucky whoever did it wrote in pencil; we can erase it without damaging the book too badly but it could've been way worse."

She dumped the book in front of them as Rinoa apologized. The girl ignored it and retreated to the other side of the Library when another student called her over.

Irvine stared at the cover in dumbfounded wonder. He tried to puzzle out Squall's thought process as he took in the title. After a minute he gave up and opened the book. He thumbed through the pages as he looked for the note with baited breath. All he could do was hope Squall had left them with anything they could use, because right now their options ran dry.

"Why would he be looking at _this_ book?" Rinoa sounded just as confused as the sharpshooter.

He didn't answer her. He kept his attention fixed on the pages and suddenly he found it. He almost jumped for joy when he took in the actual words, but it still took him a couple of seconds to realize the meaning behind them. When he did he wanted to kick himself.

Rinoa took in the words on the page and looked up with a frown. "Does this mean what I _think_ it does?"

"I reckon so," Irvine confirmed with a nod and slammed the book shut.


	9. In Spite of the Odds

**Chapter 9: In Spite of the Odds**

* * *

Irvine knew how to hide and stay out of sight but while Rinoa had been involved with the Forest Owls in Timber, they weren't known for their infiltration skills. Stealth would be a problem and he knew they needed help.

As much power as Xu had, he doubted she would green light this plan. And that was if she even believed them. She would only hinder them if their discovery was brought to her attention and they didn't have the time or luxury to hunt down proof. Besides, they needed someone with a particular set of skills, and only one person came to mind.

After all, who better to help them blend in than the dude most often forgot?

Nida was understandably skeptical when they told him their plan. But they managed to persuade the Garden pilot to tag along anyway. When told of their plight he gave them a simple solution; since Rinoa always took Angelo to the Quad they could make their escape from there.

They met up at the balcony and climbed down to the surrounding plains before they split into two teams. Rinoa argued with Irvine when he told her to go with Nida on the Ragnarok and contact Matron for something – _anything –_ that would put an end to this whole mess. It was simple logic that convinced her in the end: as a Sorceress they were done for if she fell victim to the same thing that took out their friends. Irvine was expendable by comparison. At least Rinoa would be able to do something if he failed.

Once they boarded the dragon-shaped ship Irvine headed west, convinced he knew where the others were. Not a lot of time had passed since the doctor was attacked, which had to mean they were still on the island. Balamb Town was too simple a hiding place. Anyone would opt to search there first. There was only one other place they could have gone and his gut told him to head in that direction.

Quistis and Zell had told him about the Fire Cavern test. While huge, there was a simple path that led to the centre of the Cavern but to get there one had to survive the pools of lava that surrounded it. No one in their right minds would ever choose to hide there let alone bring captives. It made it last place anyone would look.

So naturally that was where Irvine was headed.

Three hours later he stood at the entrance to the cavern. It was immense and daunting as he looked into the darkness beyond. Like any SeeD candidate, he should have been unnerved that he had no clue what he face once he entered. Instead he levelled the Exeter and stepped inside.

It barely took him a minute to realize something was wrong. For starters, it wasn't even warm. The lava pits bubbled and boiled but there was no heat from them. Then there were the lack of monsters. Zell had complained about the Buels and Bombs that jumped him soon after he'd entered, but there was nothing around to give Irvine any trouble. As he continued deeper into the cavern he felt more and more confident that he was right.

Eventually he reached the centre of the cavern that emptied into a pit. When he placed his gloved hands over the sides he found it cold to the touch and noticed a ladder that led down into the darkness. He pushed on, unsure of where it would take him.

After a few minutes he saw the bottom and dropped the rest of the way. He landed in a crouch with weapon raised. The light from above didn't provide much of a view, but from what little he could see he could just make out the sight of bedrock. Suddenly he felt like the walls would close in on him but he shook it away with some difficulty. His friends were down here somewhere and like hell would he turn tail and leave them behind.

 _Didn't stop ya tha first time._ He recalled the failed assassination attempt in Deling. He had been the only one to escape to the safety of Caraway's mansion. Everyone else had been sent to D-District.

He wished he had a light with him. He used his steps to measure as he created a mental map of his surroundings.

A giggle that broke through the silence startled Irvine. "Need a light?"

The voice was familiar but before he could put a name to it the world exploded in brilliance that blinded him. When his vision adjusted he found the cavern illuminated enough that he could see several feet ahead. At the edge of the light sat a girl crossed-legged, her fingers wrapped around her ankles as she eyed him with an impish grin.

"Heya Irvy," Selphie Tilmitt said. "Been an _interesting_ couple of weeks, hasn't it?"

Under normal circumstances he would have rushed to her side with awestruck excitement. He would have hugged her if only to assure himself that this was not an illusion. But he knew better. Everything about her was the way it should be, but it was her eyes that told him that something was wrong. The whites were now black, the emerald turned purple.

"What's wrong? Don'tcha wanna gimme a hug?" As she straightened her head and leaned back, Irvine's blood froze. He hadn't let out any sign that he had thought about it and the knowledge came with a cold assertion as she asked, "Or did you figure it all out?"

"Ya can read minds."

"I'll take that as a yes." She forced herself up to her feet. "And yeah, we can. Thought I'd pick up a little ammunition I could use for later, but you humans are sooo boring when you came to visit. It's always the same thing; _wake up, Selphie! If only you could tell us what's wrong, Selphie; how long will you be like this, Selphie?_ " She blew a raspberry. "I stopped bothering after a while."

"So _sorry_ we weren't interestin' enough fer ya," Irvine droned.

"So I had to make my _own_ fun," she continued with a shrug and his eyes narrowed as he recalled the last couple of weeks. "So... what exactly gave me away?"

"Squall did."

Her face scrunched up in distaste. "Stubborn fool. Never did like spoilsports." Her sigh was an exasperated on that blew her bangs out of her face. "So what clue did he leave behind?"

Irvine arched an eyebrow. "Ya can read mah mind. Reckon ya already know."

"Well yeah, I do." She pulled her arms behind her back. "But I wanna hear you say it."

"And give ya tha satisfaction? Naw, I'm good thanks."

She sulked. "No need to be so _cranky_."

"Oh I reckon I've got plenty ta be cranky 'bout. Like how ya've got all mah friends unda yer thrall and tried ta frame one o' 'em. Now you've had yer fun but playtime's over. Put mah friend's back ta rights."

She took a moment to consider it but he already knew what her answer would be. "Naw I don't think so. See, we're not _quite_ done yet."

"There're more of ya?"

"Uh-huh."

"And you've got yer eyes set on Rinoa and me. It ain't happenin', sweetheart."

"Oh it's gonna happen," she grinned. "The Sorceress is a non-issue, though. No one really cares about her. Sure, she can blow shit up but seems to me she's a whole lot more trouble than she's actually worth. You're the man of the hour, cowboy; it's _all_ about you, _sweetheart._ "

He deflated at her declaration and his grip tightened on the Exeter. If Rinoa was out of the equation then his being here was just part of their plan. And like a fool he'd walked right into it.

"Oh _please,_ " Not-Selphie mocked. "You're pride's taken a beating, sure, but you're _not_ gonna risk shooting little Selphie just to get to lil' ol' me. You like her too much."

She was right and they both knew it. When he scowled she laughed with arms wrapped around her stomach. It was a shrill giggle that was not unlike Selphie's but there was also something unnatural about it. Exeter remained pointed at the ground. Even if he tried to bluff her she'd see right through it. "So ya escaped tha infirmary ta what? Draw me away from Rinoa? Well now ya've got me. So what happens now? Ya take me over? I become like tha othas?"

"You're getting ahead of yourself." Her laughter tapered off and she straightened. "If we wanted to end things, we woulda done it already. Hell, we wouldn't have even had to leave the infirmary."

"So then why'd ya'll leave?"

"To make it even _more_ interesting, silly. But now that you're here, the gamecan finally begin. Why would I end it so quickly by letting someone take you over right now?"

He arched an eyebrow, uneasy at this proclamation. "And what're we gonna play?"

"Oh you should know this game. The younger humans play it all the time from what I've heard. It's called 'Hunting the Fox."

He knew it from the orphanage. A group of kids would band together as the hunters and one kid would try to avoid them as the fox. If the fox stayed hidden, the fox won. The way he had played the game, only one hunter could win by tagging the fox. He wondered if he could use this to his advantage.

She shook her head. "Nope, the rules we're playing with means the hunters work as a team. If one of us tag you then we _all_ win."

He scowled at the reminder. "Now that ain't even fair. Ya'll can jes read mah mind and figure out where I'm hiddin'."

"Oh quit complaining, it'll keep you on your toes. A little adrenaline never hurt anybody. At least now you know what you're up against, it's more than what your friends can say. Besides, the rules are already in your favour. So now you'll have to _find_ all of us and not get caught. If you've missed even one of us, you still lose. Then we take you over. No fuss, no muss."

"I don't reckon I wanna play. Not if ya'll're gonna up and change tha rules like that."

"Don't be _such_ a baby!" She whined. "If you _win_ , you get a pass from us. We'll leave you alone and you'll never hear from us again. High stakes, high reward right?"

"Not fer you I'd reckon," Irvine argued and her smile slipped. "Even if I win, yer just down _one_ body. Ya'll don't stand ta lose nuthin'."

"Wait..." She giggled the word out, her features incredulous. "So you want to not just wager _your_ freedom, but that of your friends? Why would I do something so stupid?"

Irvine shrugged. "Think of how fun it'll be."

She still looked skeptical. He knew he'd have to win her over somehow. Then he considered that they were alone. Her friends hadn't seen fit to greet him. "'Sides, I don't reckon yer friends should get a say. It's yer party, not theirs." He didn't give her the chance to read his mind and pounced when he saw he had her attention. "So who was tha one who singled out mah friends? Who caught 'em all and got ta possess 'em? Who came up with tha whole thang? I'd reckon I'm speakin' with tha ringleader, since none o' yer friends are around ta contest it."

"Flatterer."

"And I reckon aside from mah friends, ya got next ta nuthin' ta show fer all yer hard work. Have they thanked ya fer what ya did fer 'em? Have they even done anythan' ta earn it?"

"I see where you're going cowboy." Her tone betrayed her interest. "And I gotta say, you're not wrong."

"So fuck 'em. Add mah friends ta tha wager. Mebbe they'll be a little more thankful if they had ta actually do sumthan."

"You drive a hard bargain, Irvine Kinneas." She grinned. "So fuck 'em! Let them duke out what they want when we win this thing. Least I won't have to hear them bitch about it."

"So it's a done deal," Irvine confirmed. "I don't wanna tie this whole thang up just ta put up with yer friends bullshit after tha fact."

"No worries there, I'll keep them in line. I may be an asshole but I keep my word. So do they. And if they wanna keep what they've gotten, they'll know to follow my cue." When she held out her hand to him, her features were all business. "Shake on it."

He took her hand and marvelled at how cold it felt as they sealed the deal. She jerked her hand back the moment the finished, not a second longer and he puzzled that maybe she felt that he was too warm blooded. "You'll have one hour in the maze to find and evade us all."

"An hour? And what maze?" Scarcely after he'd asked the light around them brightened to a blinding pitch. When it faded her saw what looked like a hedge from some rich guy's backyard had formed from bedrock. The walls were taller than he was and he couldn't make anything out beyond the curve of the entrance.

"Check your wrist for the time."

When he did, he saw a SeeD issued digital watch. Not bad considering he never wore a watch or joined SeeD. The numbers that blinked back at him read 01:00:00. He had left Garden around supper time when everyone would be busy in the cafeteria, but he couldn't imagine he'd been gone that long.

"So we can't cheat," she explained with a wink. "Better hurry, we don't have all night, ya know."

Then the numbers turned solid and shifted. 00:59:59... 00:59:58...

Irvine looked up to argue but she was gone. He pursed his lips and took in the maze's entrance. He had no choice but to play this stupid game.

It was the only way to save the others.

At least until Rinoa returned with Matron's advice.

 _So fer now I'm trapped in one of Zell's stupid online games, fighting for control over mah own damned body..._

He stepped into the maze and picked up the pace as he tried to memorize the path. Everything looked the same. All the constant twists and turns disoriented him but he forced himself onward regardless. It didn't really matter if he was lost already, someone was bound to find him.

"Ollie-Ollie oxen free..."

The familiar voice echoed off the walls and stopped Irvine in his tracks. It was the tone that put him off; usually cheerful, it now possessed a dark undertone that made his skin crawl.

When he turned the corner he saw Zell atop what looked like a cinder block. Dressed in the same sweats as two days ago, his arms rested against legs that bounced up and down, the fingers pointed down. Hair normally gelled up in the front was now pushed down and all but obscured the eyes that looked through the strands. The natural blues were now red pin points in a sea of black.

"Shouldn't keep people waiting," Zell rasped. "It's not nice."

"Yeah well," Irvine held the Exeter at the ready, "neither is wearing mah friend like a change o' clothes."

The blond grinned at that. "Fair point. Ya wanna know _why_ we chose you, don't you?"

"Ya started with Sefie and Squall and then thought, 'what tha hell', right? Might as well get tha rest o' tha gang."

When the blond laughed, it was low and creepy. "I originally wanted the blonde girl, you know. She seemed like she could handle spells. We agreed on an order but someone jumped the line. Guess I should thank you for arranging that deal with the other. Get to make things right."

" _If_ ya can catch me, remember?"

"Oh I remember." Zell lifted his hands palm up.

The ground between them started to break apart. Tears formed in the bedrock and threw up dust that obscured his vision. Irvine coughed behind his hand, but movement on the ground stole his attention. Boney fingers clawed at the dirt, followed by an arm and then a skull. Then another. And another. And another and another. The dust cleared and he could no longer see the brawler because of the skeletons that stood in the way.

Some had skin that clung to them, some were missing limbs. Some limped, some crawled, some walked.

All towards Irvine.

He opened fire. The shots slammed through the front of the closest one. He blasted another and another. One took a hit to the face, the skull exploded as the rest of the body dropped to the ground. Another took a blast to the shoulder, the arm blasted clear from its body but did nothing to deter it.

"See what I mean?" The blond called from behind the wall of skeletons. "I only summoned _eight_. Usually I can _triple_ that amount!"

Irvine backed out into the hall he had entered from and fumbled with his ammo before he slammed two into the chamber. He sent two balls of flame into the creatures. The ones with skin caught on fire and spread to the rest of the monsters who weren't even bothered by the blast. Irvine cursed.

Back pressed against the wall the sharpshooter found himself surrounded. The remaining five creatures reached for him. He switched ammo again and blasted a hole through the wall of bone and threw himself forward in a clumsy dive before the others could overtake him. He managed to shoot them all, the rest crumpled to the ground.

He turned just as a spell was thrown in his direction and ducked to avoid it only to realize the target was the space at his feet. A circle glowed deep purple before hands sprouted from the ground. The fingers grabbed at his legs and he shrieked as he jumped out of the fingers range.

Then Zell appeared at his side, reached out and fingers wrapped around the sharpshooter's throat. Irvine was confused when the fingers didn't tighten but just as suddenly he began to feel weak. The strength left him as he stared into the brawler's grinning face.

"Don't fight it," the blond said. "It'll be over soon. It won't even hurt."

Irvine fell to a knee as his vision blurred. He grit his teeth in defiance as he tightened his grip on the Exeter. With his remaining strength, he brought the weapon up and swung it at Zell's head. It connected with a _crash_. With a curse the blond let him go and both hit the ground. Irvine groaned as he forced himself to sit back up while the possessed brawler cradled the side of his head. By the time the blond recovered Irvine stood over him with the Exeter levelled.

"You won't do it." Zell grinned at him through a mouthful of blood. "He's your friend. You won't kill him, even if it _will_ save him."

"Yer right." Irvine brought the weapon down hard against the brawler's temple. One more hit was enough to render him unconscious.

His energy gave out and he fell back onto his knees as he struggled for breath. He did not like whatever Zell had done to him and made a mental note to steer clear of close quarters combatin case the others could do it too.

The minutes that passed felt like hours before he finally willed himself to stand. He could not afford to sit around for his energy came back to him. Selphie's words about having to find all the hunters echoed back through his mind. He afforded himself one more minute to regain energy before he started to walk and wondered how Rinoa's was handling her part of the plan.

A while later he heard a distant _boom_ that sounded like an explosion. He paused as he tried to measure out how far away it was. When he heard it again he realized it was much closer than before. He crouched against the wall and held Exeter against his chest as he listened. The _booms_ got louder and louder the longer he waited.

It sounded like someone was physically bulldozing through the wall, but that couldn't be possible. None of the SeeDs were junctioned; their GF's were taken away when they were admitted to the Infirmary. Even if they did have them, there were limits to the powers they were afforded. But then he thought back to the fight against Not-Zell and how he had displayed magic he had never seen before. Maybe it was some kind of super-natural element caused by the possession.

Then an explosion came from behind him, too close for comfort. He shuffled to an adjacent wall and ducked behind it, he did not want to be on wrong end of whatever caused it. When the smoke cleared his gut tightened and he let out a whispered curse as he eyed the one responsible. He was unarmed but the destruction showed he did not need weapons.

Irvine was reminded of the trip back to Deling City from the Tomb of the Unknown King. They'd encountered a Wendigo and had expected the monster to attack them as it always did. It caught them off guard when it cast a spell instead. The monster had not fared well in the end and had left the group with an uncomfortable mess they had to deal with after the fact. Irvine was not thrilled by the repeat performance.

Then he considered that he didn't actually have to confront everyone. All she had told him to do was to find the others. All he had to do once he found them was keep from being subdued.

While his back was turned Irvine started down the hall as quickly and quietly as he could manage before he turned a corner and out of sight. But he'd walked right into a dead end; the corridor cut off just as abruptly as it rounded out. The only way to escape now was to backtrack the way he had come.

Then the wall directly across from him blasted apart and threw smoke up into the air. The sharpshooter's gut sank as the very person he had hoped to avoid emerged from the rubble.

"Found you." Squall's grin was unlike anything he had ever seen before on the brunet. It looked out of place on the normally stoic youth and promised pain. Concrete-gray irises were fixed on Irvine amidst the black depths that surrounded them, a sight that told him Squall would not be so easy to evade after all.

As Squall began his charge Irvine levelled the Exeter and fired. But his hands shook and the shots went wide to blast into the walls that surrounded them. The images of that shredded Wendigo were difficult to shake even as he emptied his weapon and reloaded. Two of the blasts hit the brunet but he did little more than flinch as he advanced. Irvine cursed and barely ducked the overhead punch sent his way, the one that blasted apart the wall behind him and scattered chunks of bedrocks like Styrofoam.

He did not stop to marvel the damage and ran from the older youth with the intent to lose him in the maze. Squall was exactly the same as when the Wendigo had berserked him in the tomb of the unknown king. Back then, it had taken all five of the youths to Squall long enough to be cured. It was hard enough with four backups, Irvine now had to do it alone.

The brunet was quick and rounded the corner a few steps behind him. His eyes were fixed on Irvine like an animal that stalked its prey. It would not be an easy feat to lose him, but he sped up all the same. It did him little good; the brunet was on top of him before he could even blink.

Irvine ducked from the punch sent his way and managed a clumsy back-peddle. "Heya," he called in a hope to distract him. "Yer pal told me all about how someone jumped tha line and screwed ya'll over."

Squall threw himself forward in a lunge that Irvine barely managed to dodge. The brunet crashed into the wall opposite him as the sharpshooter continued to back away. "Don'tcha wanna talk about that? Reckon Squall's body ain't exactly yer cup o' tea right?"

"Less talking, more _smashing_ you into the ground!" Squall collected himself from the rubble and crouched down low with fingers curled and knees bent in preparation to lunge. Irvine gulped and backed away. But he was surprised when the brunet brought both hands up over his head, balled them into fists and threw them into the ground so forcefully a fissure formed between the pair.

The sharpshooter was almost thrown off his feet but he regained his balance and avoided the charging youth. A blast from Exeter caught the SeeD in the shoulder but that did not stop him. With a yelp Irvine dogged it down the hall while Squall crashed into the corner of the wall.

"Stand still so I can _squash_ you!" Squall roared behind him.

These things that possessed his friends had different personalities. While Zell's had been calm and calculating, Squall's was nothing short of a berserker. The thought relieved Irvine as much as it terrified him. Squall was less likely to delve into the stock of para-magic the brunet had collected during the war. But that was the only upside as he resolved to keep away from him. Fortunately possessed-Squall wasn't very smart and Irvine was able to keep his distance.

But he couldn't hold back his shock at how destructive the other's actions were. There were no tackles thrown his way, only punches, kicks and lunges that would probably kill him or break him into pieces. "I thought ya'll was 'spose ta _beat_ me, not kill me!"

There was no response. When he turned around he realized the other had disappeared. Reminded of Selphie and her disappearing trick, Irvine wondered if everyone had that talent while under the thrall of these things. Zell had not done anything like that, but Irvine also didn't think he'd given him the chance.

Then he heard some _booms_ from close by. Then an explosion came from in front of him. When the smoke cleared Squall emerged from it _ **.**_ "They didn't say I couldn't _break_ you."

Irvine gulped and backed away while he searched his pockets for more ammo. In his experience the best way to deal with a berserker was to keep him at range. Unfortunately gunshots didn't do much to accomplish this goal. Magic would be helpful, except he did not use spells. Now, cornered by the possessed brunet, Irvine considered that maybe the other wasn't as dumb as he'd thought. The brunet at least knew enough to cut off his escape route.

But if Irvine could somehow blind him, he might have a fighting chance, or at least a means of escape. He knew he had some dark ammo but he needed the chance to reload Exeter.

Squall – as if he read Irvine's thoughts – charged at him. Irvine emptied Exeter of its existing ammo. He couldn't afford to take his eyes off the other, so Irvine slammed the rounds into the chamber blind, closed the Exeter and opened fire with a mouthed prayer.

The bullets cut through the air and left behind a dark vapour. Irvine could've danced with joy as they exploded in the brunet's face. Squall cried out in surprise and outrage as his hands flew up to cover his face and he skidded to a stop so violently that he stumbled and fell to the ground. When he withdrew his hands Irvine noted the dark ink spots across the upper part of his face.

As much as he wanted to just take off and run, he could not risk Squall following him. The sounds of his feet against the ground would tell him where he took off to and the blind effect of the dark shot would not last forever. He would have to take him out. It was not something he really wanted to do but he had no choice.

As Squall pawed his way back to his feet, Irvine whistled to draw his attention. It worked; Squall turned his head sharply to face him and with a battle-cry the berserker threw himself into another charge. As quietly as he could manage, Irvine stepped to the side with his left arm outstretched as the brunet cleared the distance. He muttered an apology as he clothes-lined his friend with enough force to throw him into the ground. Squall's head crashed hard against the bedrock and when Irvine saw Squall was still conscious, Irvine bent down and brought Exeter's bunt against Squall's temple. The SeeD stilled with his head rolled to the side.

Irvine let out a breath when he found Squall's pulse, relieved he was still alive. Then the sharpshooter checked to make sure he hadn't done any permanent damage. Amazingly most of the shots had only left minor bruises. Squall's knuckles were torn open from the wall punches but other than that he was fine. Irvine was now convinced whatever possessed his friends also gave them strange but powerful abilities like additional physical protection in this instance. He could only marvel at the luck.

He did not want to, but forced himself to leave Squall behind. Irvine would not be able to drag him along and it would impede his progress in the maze. Squall would understand. So Irvine set off in search of Quistis and Selphie. The watch said he had thirty minutes left before this _game_ ended. He didn't know what he should expect: Not-Selphie was able to appear and disappear at will, but he didn't know anything else. Quistis was a complete unknown to him. She could be capable of anything.

Eventually he turned a corner and came to an abrupt stop at the edge of the next room. Beyond him was grass, moss, even a large tree in the centre. Even if he ignored that this was where Ifrit had lived, he could not believe his eyes. Bedrock was essential for plant growth, but it should not have been possible without sunlight so far underground. It had to be the result of magic. As he pushed past the vines that hung from the ceiling above the entrance way, he considered the room before him, Selphie was a para-magic specialist. Quistis was a strong caster herself. He still had no clue which girl was responsible but he was positive this was not a natural phenomenon.

He was so mesmerized by the grove that he did not hear it when the vines started to move. He did not notice their presence until one of them snaked around his right hand. By the time he did realize it was too late, his arm was immobilized. He tried to shift his footing for another attempt, but his feet were rooted in place by the grass.

"It was only a matter of time."

He recognized the speaker and finally had an answer to his unvoiced question. But there was something off, even more so this time. The change in the guys had been more about inflection, the way they said the words. Here there was something else. But then the speaker emerged from a sea of leaves, hands on hips with her long blonde hair left undone. Her crystal-blue eyes had turned the colour of dirt within the inky black of her brethren. "I knew you would make an appearance eventually. I just needed to be patient."

It took a moment but he was able to identify why the difference here was so pronounced. It was her accent: the only thing she had taken with her when she'd run away to join Garden.

"I'll have to remember that." She snickered as he scowled at her invasion. "Maybe when this is all over I'll find this _Dolle_ t and observe the people there. A silly verbal tick can be easily fixed with practice."

Irvine tried to pry his arm free from the vine. But another piece of the plant snaked around his free hand and that too was immobilized. He was left to stand there like a marionette.

She laughed outright at his attempts. "You can keep struggling if you want to. All it'll do is waste your strength."

"Reckon yer 'bout ta start bitchin' like tha othas." Irvine continued to twist free.

She looked bemused. "Why do I have _anything_ to complain about? I've got you right where I want you."

"Well nona yer pals seem real happy 'bout tha body situation. Yer head pal don't seem real happy that ya'll are bitchin' 'bout it neitha. Guess ya could say that I was curious."

"Which is why you two took it upon yourselves to alter the arrangement." She shifted and folded her arms across her chest. "So now I have to fight for this body all over again. It's _annoying_ but not something to concern myself with. The result will end the same way."

As she turned her back to him and started back towards the tree, Irvine grit his teeth as the vines tightened around his wrists. "Yer not mad that ya got dealt tha wrong hand. Ya wanna keep Quistis to yerself."

"I mean, why wouldn't I?" She turned to face him then and gestured at their surrounding. "She's got an _incredible_ handle on magic. It took me next to no time at all to make this grove."

She raised both hands above her head and he prepared himself for the barrage of spells to be thrown his way. But then the girl shifted her weight to the right, cartwheeled to the side, before she dropped down on top of the grass, her arms and legs spread akimbo. It reminded him of a young child, without the worries or stress that normally hounded the instructor. "This place really was lacking a certain something-something."

"Tree-hugger." Irvine continued to pull at the vines.

She looked up at that. When he spared her a glance he realized she wasn't angry or upset at the jeer. The smirk she wore made him realize she did not see him as a threat. "There's nothing wrong with taking what nature has to offer and nothing else you know. For better or worse, it's the only constant in this world." A small frown tugged at her features then. "No... that's not how _she_ would say it. For better or for... ill? Maybe, but that doesn't sound right at all."

He sagged against the vines in defeat. The weak wriggles and pulls would not break their grip, it was clear to him. But then Exeter was still in his grip. He tested how much movement he still had and realized he could twist his wrist slightly and angle the weapon so it pointed to his restraints.

She was back on her feet the moment he opened fire. The blast of the bullet tore through the vine like it was nothing. As the remainder of the green ropes fell from his now free arm he switched angles and shot at the other restraint. He ignored her cries and demands for him to stop and soon he found both arms were free. When he turned his attention to the grass he realized the strands were rising up to restrict him further. Quickly he raised the bottoms of his pants, fumbled the clasps of his boots and flung himself forward before the grass could envelope around his legs.

He scrambled but ultimately stumbled onto his knees, his gaze faced down. But as a shadow loomed over him he looked up to see Quistis's furious glare as she stood with hands outstretched. "You're clever. But it won't be enough." He saw the sparks of electricity that pooled in the centre of her palms. "I could easily destroy you with _my_ powers but I think using _hers_ would be even sweeter."

He rolled out of the way as the energy arced from her fingers and hit the ground. The lines of electricity danced along the grass and spread in a circle just beyond where he'd landed. He recognized the ability. It had been taken from one of the monsters they'd encountered in the forests outside of Timber; rooster-like creatures called Cockatrice that would sooner electrocute you as quickly as they could turn you to stone.

It was not a good sign that this creature had learned to utilize Quistis's Blue Magic.

As he scrambled to his feet he saw her eyes begin to glow yellow. He recognized it as another of her strange spells and pushed himself forward to dodge the Laser Eye shot. Two spots on the grass smouldered where he had been moments ago. She tried again but he did not stay idle. He ran along the outer edge of the room as she kept up the barrage. The attacks hit the walls behind him and he heard them crumble to the ground as he considered his next move.

Then he saw the tree and instinct took over. He aimed at the Blue Mage and opened fire but she dodged and resumed her attacks. He rifled through his jacket, shoved the flame ammo into the chamber as he angled his shot and pulled the trigger. The bullet tore out of the chamber and exploded into fire once the surrounding oxygen made contact as it flew in an arc above the former instructors head and ignited the leaves. Within seconds the tree was ablaze.

"NO!" She whirled around to face the fire, took a deep breath and let it out in a stream of water that crashed into the foliage and rocked the branches as it extinguished the flames it touched. Irvine took advantage of the distraction and tackled the girl to the ground. She choked on the Aqua Breath as she struggled in his grip and was rendered unconscious by a single strike to the head.

Once he was sure he'd only incapacitated her, his attention returned to the fire that was only half extinguished. He had no means to put it out and it would only spread to catch the grass and foliage she had conjured. With no alternative, he picked up the unconscious woman and carried her out. He was careful to keep low and held his breath. What a laugh it would be if he died of smoke inhalation to avoid his fate.

When he was far enough away he propped her against the wall. Her head lolled to the side but she did not stir. Satisfied she would not pose a problem he continued on his way.

There was one more left to find before this nightmare came to an end.


	10. End Game

**Chapter 10: End Game**

* * *

He was tired and sore from the constant fights, on edge at every little sound that cut through the silence. His nerves were fried and he wanted it to be over. Whatever Zell had done to him sure as fuck hadn't helped.

But he forced himself to move, he had no choice but to see this through. The others counted on him to free them. He could not stop now even if he wanted to.

To keep himself aware, he turned his thoughts from his exhaustion and onto what he could expect when he faced Selphie. What other abilities did she have? She could teleport and controlled the brightness of the room. Could it be some kind of energy manipulation technique? It sounded very similar to how the actual Selphie operated in the field, with her slot of random spells. Could she use it to make her invisible? And if so, how the hell would he even find her?

He stopped when an awful thought occurred to him. What if she decided to hide for the remainder of the time? All she'd have to do was run down the clock. His body and those of his friends would be forfeit.

The dread weighed heavily on him. His exhausted body sank to the ground and he found himself against a wall as he stared up at the ceiling that disappeared in the dark. How could he combat such a creature? All he had at his disposal was the Exeter and his wits. A lot of good that would do against someone of her abilities.

"You could always just give up," a voice said from out of nowhere. "No one would blame you. You gave it your best shot after all, and that's all that matters."

He recognized Selphie's voice and looked around for any sign of her. He was still alone.

"I mean, your _friends_ might have something to say but it's not like they _could_ ," she continued. "And as far as the rest of the world would know, you were successful so there would be no blame for you. In fact, your friend Rinoa would be _so_ proud of you. Wouldn't that be _awesome_? To be hailed a hero for doing nothing at all?"

Irvine refused to even consider it.

She chuckled from wherever she was. "Yeah, I didn't think you'd go for that, but there's nothing wrong with asking."

"So _this_ is yer scheme then? Actin' like sum disembodied voice ta taunt and run down tha clock? Doesn't sound all that fair ta me."

"You could always convince me not to."

"And how ya figure I can pull off that magic trick?"

"A sort of prid-quo-pro." He heard her snicker. "You give me something, then I give you something."

"Like what?"

"Like... I'll come out of hiding _if_ you..." she trailed off purposefully to draw the suspense before she continued in a sing-song tone, "tell me the clue Squall left for you..."

"But ya _already_ know."

"But I wanna hear _you_ say it." She giggled again before she resumed the sing-song tone. "So... tell me the clue Squall left for you..."

"He didn't leave a clue," Irvine corrected in disgust. "He left us tha answer."

"Then tell me exactly what he left you..."

Irvine's sigh was heavy, filled with exhaustion. It was obnoxious the way she was taunting him but the sad fact was he had no other option. If she stayed hidden he didn't stand a chance. "Come out first, then I'll tell ya."

"Nuh-uh. Not how this works. _You_ go first!"

"How do I know you'll keep yer word."

"Because I _already_ told you; I'm an asshole but I keep my word. We shook on it and everything. Humans don't work the same way, so _you_ get to go first."

This time Irvine's sigh was in defeat. If he drew this out any longer he'd run out of time and he'd lose anyway. "Tha hard part was findin' it, but when I think on it, it was obvious."

Silence greeted him as he paused. "Possession ain't exactly sumthan we're new to. That _Sorceress_ ya'll feel is too much trouble? She got possessed earlier in tha year and yeah, she did cause some trouble. Fact is someone else I care about lost her damn mind tha same way. What happened ta Sefie... we shoulda thought somethan like this but we were fixated on tha medical. So when I'd seen Squall's message in a book about tha Occult, on a chapter for _possession_ of all thangs, it clicked."

"What'd he write?"

He contemplated withholding the answer until after she appeared but decided against it. "Two words. Not Selphie."

Silence followed for a minute before she spoke again. But there was something akin to admiration in her tone. "You're right. He really is blunt."

"A deal's a deal," Irvine reminded. "Come on out."

Her sigh was lacklustre. "Oh, _fine_..."

His shadow stretched the width of the cavern until it moved up along the wall opposite him. Higher and higher it rose to an impossible stretch and then the girl emerged from it like it was a doorway. She dropped into a pose as she said, 'Ta-da!"

He was not impressed. "Ya do requests at parties too?"

"Oh you're just jealous!" She waved away his anger. "But you're also kind of impressive. You managed to beat my friends by yourself, without magic. You're pretty inventive, Irvy. I like that about ya."

"Enough to let us all go?"

"Well that'd be no fun at all. I mean, what would _we_ get out of the bargain?"

"Ya'll'd have had a grand ol' time."

"Tempting, but no. We kind of like having these skins and it'd be a waste to just give 'em up like that." She snapped her fingers for emphasis.

"Reckon yer pals see it all as a raw deal."

"Yeah well, they're whiners. The way I see it, someone's _always_ gonna be on the losing end of an arrangement. _I_ didn't exactly get the body I was looking for, but they don't see me moaning about it."

"Well if ya don't care fer Selphie's body, why not jes give her up?"

She laughed. "Nice try there, cowboy. It's not that I don't _like_ her, she just wasn't my _first_ choice."

"So who was?"

She grinned. " _You_ were, actually." As he digested this she paced down the hall. "Our fighting styles are _very_ different. You shoot from afar, I like to attack from the dark. You're not as agile as I'd like but if I was looking for someone with _my_ skills, that'd be just plain dull. I wanna mix it up a little, learn some _new_ tricks. Selphie... was a convenient choice at the time, and I couldn't afford to be picky."

"Cuz yer tha gate keeper?"

She nodded. "Exactly."

"So ya _had_ ta go first in order fer tha others ta get a body. Ya had ta open the way from _this_ side." He suddenly had a picture of the way these creatures operated. She would appear, grab a body and the others would wait for her to pick out prospective hosts for the rest of them. But it was imperfect; she couldn't stop it if someone decided to go before it was their turn, which seemed to have happened in this case. There had to be some trust and clearly everyone was out for themselves.

Selphie suddenly tilted her head to the side. "I know what you're doing."

"What am I doin'?"

"You're trying to stall." While she still grinned her eyes betrayed her annoyance. "Keep me talking until the clock runs down, and you're free to go. I can't blame you for trying, what with what's at stake and all, but _really_? You were all indignant just a second ago when you thought I was doing the same thing. I never thought of you as a hypocrite."

"Reckon I'm only human. Ya'll have powers I could only dream of. I gotta rely on my wits is all."

"I suppose you have a point." But she didn't seem to like it.

"Well, let's get to it, then." He levelled the Exeter. "Get this over with."

But when she didn't move he frowned. "What's tha matta? Got cold feet? Don't think ya can handle me?"

"I want to give you the chance to surrender." She looked far too serious for it to be a joke. "I know it's a long shot and my last attempt wasn't all that serious. But I mean it this time. Throw down your weapon and just take a load off. I don't wanna hurt you anymore than you already have been and you really _did_ give it your all. I'm really impressed and with my attention span that's saying a lot. Like a lot, a lot. So as not fun as the idea is, just sit down, relax and let _us_ do the driving from now on."

"Sorry dahlin'. But it ain't jes me I'm fightin' fer, it's mah friends. Friend's I've had since childhood. I'm not about ta throw it all away jes cuz this is gettin' hard. So jes try and do yer worst. Fact is, I'm walkin' outta here with mah friends back in control o' themselves. Ya can eitha stand in mah way or get the hell outta it."

She sighed and looked disappointed. "Pity. I really do like you, Irvy. And really I don't _wanna_ hafta hurt you. I mean that, truly. Just remember that I _did_ warn you."

She pointed at him and dark cloud of magic materialized at the tip of her index finger. He had the sense to duck and the blast hit the wall behind him to tear it apart. Chunks of bedrock pelted his upper back and he winced as he moved to the right.

She dropped to the ground with palms pressed flat. A dark substance rose up between them. He fired Exeter twice but the blasts flew straight through it and hit the wall instead. The black substance took shape and became a copy of her. It ran at him and threw her tiny fist at his chest. He was able to shift so the blow hit his shoulder instead and a cold darkness rippled through his left arm at impact.

He pushed it away with his good arm and checked his shoulder, but was stunned when he didn't even see a tear through the fabric of his coat.

When the clone recovered it attacked him again with a spell. He dodged and doubled back as it connected with stone.

He ducked behind a corner to recover and check his ammo reserves. He still had some scattershot, dark, quick and normal ammo. When he poked his head back around he barely managed to keep it. Had he been a second slower, Selphie would have won her prize of a headless cadaver.

"BOO!"

The real one appeared through a shadow portal next to him. He jumped out as she cast a spell and avoided the Meltdown that would have burned his skin and made him vulnerable. The clone charged from the right and he rolled away to avoid a kick that hit the ground instead. He continued to move until he got behind another wall. When he stopped he checked to make sure there was no portal beside him this time.

He reloaded Exeter, rolled out from behind cover onto his stomach and opened fire. All four shots hit their mark: the dark ammo crashed into the clone's face and blinded her like it had with Squall. The three blasts that followed – normal shot – crashed into her body at a force that sent her back. She exploded into a puff of smoke before she even hit the ground.

He rolled onto his side, reloaded and opened fire with two blasts of scattershot. Selphie ducked into a shadow portal before the shots could land. He flipped onto his back in case she tried to attack from all sides, but found himself alone once more.

After a moment he sat up, but heard movement from behind. When he turned she emerged from another portal and made strange symbols. By the time he stood up her palms hit the floor and dark auras split from her hands to form more shadow clones. He ducked back and shot blindly around the corner. The shots spread wide before he ran to put some distance between them.

One of the clones appeared in front of him. When he turned the others cut off his escape. He dropped into a crouch as he prepared his next move. The clones acted first. He evaded a kick that would have knocked the air from his lungs but the lone clone grabbed him under his arms before he could get away.

The other clones closed the gap. One kicked him in the face, another nailed him in the side. The one he'd evaded kicked him in the back of the knee and forced him down. The one who held him let him go and kicked him in the ass as he fell forward.

When he looked up he saw Selphie above him, hands on hips. "If you don't wanna play anymore, I'll understand."

"Sorry dahlin'." He groaned as he stumbled when he got to his feet. "I ain't tha quittin' type. Y'all understand."

She sighed. "Not only is this getting ridiculous, I'm getting _bored._ I don't wanna get yelled at for cutting off limbs."

"You should worry more 'bout tha there skin than ya should about me." He reloaded the Exeter.

The quintet caught his thoughts and moved before he could. They surrounded him as he raised his gun arm to fire. With his normal ammo he couldn't tag them all before they landed a blow and immobilized him.

Which was what he hoped they'd try.

He shifted and took aim at the closest clone behind him. The bullet tore through the chamber and cut through the air so quickly there was a sharp whistle in its movements and it struck the clone in the collarbone. The force of the blast was enough to propel her back and she blew apart in a puff of smoke when she hit the floor. The smoke hadn't cleared before the other clones met the same fate and none had gotten more than a foot closer.

Selphie was also in the line of fire: she took two shots to the arm before she ducked back and hid around a corner. He could hear her curse and couldn't stop himself before he cracked a smile at her expense. "Not mah fault if y'all decided ta cheat, dahlin'. Readin' mah thoughts and dependin' on that info's not what I'd call fair play." As he reloaded Exeter he couldn't resist the added jab."If ya'll don't wanna play no more, I'll understand."

"You just make me wanna play _harder!_ "

He turned to the sound of her voice and saw her emerge from another portal. He readied himself for more clones but she just lunged forward, arms outstretched in an attempted tackle. He jumped back before she could grab him, but her fingers traced along his trench coat for the shortest of seconds. She maintained her balance and tried again. When she missed, she pounced quicker than Irvine anticipated.

He ran, his boots pounded against bedrock as he tried to keep ahead of the smaller girl. He rounded a corner and she appeared from a portal. He'd already back peddled before she'd gotten out of it. He wanted to create as much space between them as possible.

She burst out of the middle of the floor feet ahead of him. He vaulted over her outstretched hands, missed the grab by a nail. But he slipped and tumbled hard onto both knees before he could turn it into a roll. Back on his feet he continued to run without a backwards glance.

These attempts were not serious. Her plan was to tire him out, make it easier for the grab. The worst part was that it was working. His sides ached and his lungs threatened to burst but still he kept at it. He glanced at the watch and his heart rose up into his chest when he saw he had just two minutes left.

If he could last for just two more minutes...

He felt a sharp yank at his right foot and he fell hard on his right arm and cursed as a sharp pain ran up through his shoulder. Through hisses and curses he kicked at the hand that held him captive. His arm hurt like hell, was probably broken, but he couldn't stop.

He kicked his leg free and raised Exeter left-handed. She ducked back into her portal before the bullet could hit her. He didn't stick around to see where she would appear next. Too slowly he picked himself off the ground and forced his body to move. He hissed at every awkward motion and tried to force his right arm to stay still. But it was difficult and he breathed through gritted teeth at each jostle.

The watch beeped. When he looked down he saw that he had just passed the last minute mark. 0:00:59... 0:00:58...

It was all the encouragement he needed.

It seemed to be the same for Selphie. She emerged from another portal and charged him. He kept his distance aware that she held the advantage of stamina between them. But he refused to give up. Even in combat, with his friends at his side, he had never been discouraged that he wasn't as fast, strong, agile or clever as the others. He never used GF's because he didn't want his memories stolen.

She closed the distance. He tried to force himself to go faster but he was spent, his body just wanted to give up and lie down despite his wishes. He stumbled into the adjacent wall, the painful impact of his injured arm caused him to cry out as he slid to the ground. He cradled the appendage even as she cleared the distance, towered over him and reached to grab him and end the game once and for all...

A dull beep filled the air between them in a constant and shrill drone.

Both froze in their places. When the chime stopped the silence that hung in the air between them was thick and heavy.

It took another minute for the import of the noise to hit him. When it did he laughed. It started as a slow thing that rattled out of his exhausted lungs but then it grew in volume until it physically hurt his throat to commit the act. It broke through the silence, like thunder through the sky before a storm. Then it felt like he might laugh himself to death because it started to hurt his chest and jostled his arm.

"You don't have to rub it in."

When he looked up he saw she was on the ground with legs crossed and a scowl. Her head was propped up by her hands, her arms were propped up against her knees.

"Oh don't be such a sore loser. Ya did yer best." He levelled Exeter, pointed it right at her. She looked up and straightened. "Now, ya'll had yer fun, but it's been an hour. Reckon it's time ya let me and tha otha's go free."

She let out a long exasperated sigh that blew the bangs out from her face. "Fine." Then she closed her eyes and flashes of light shone from the labyrinth. One was grey, one was red and the last was brown. Those lights stayed suspended in the air before they dispersed into the darkness.

Irvine frowned, suspicious. It seemed too easy. When she opened her eyes his stomach sank when he still saw purple.

"There you go. _Happy_?"

"Selphie goes free too. _That_ was the deal."

"The _deal_ ," she rose to stand, "Was that you and your friends go free."

"Selphie's mah friend too."

"Then you should have been more specific."

Irvine went to argue but cut himself off when he realized what she meant. The little bitch had a backdoor; a loophole from reinterpreted words. _His_ friends could have been at least two of the four. He should have said _all_ of them. "Ya tricked me."

She sighed. "Yeah sure, we can go with that if it makes you feel better. Deep down you know the truth. I'm just following the contract. It's _your_ problem if it's not everything you thought it'd be. You sure as hell don't see _me_ complaining about having to scope out new skins for my friends to fight over."

"Let. Her. Go!"

"What a broken record you are!" She threw her head back and grunted. "If you can't get past yourself when I practically spelled it out for you then I'm not about to waste anymore time on you. And FYI, I know you're not gonna shoot sweet lil' Sefie, cuz you woulda _done_ it by now! Cut the crap already!"

Her words echoed off the walls but neither person moved. When a minute passed she hung her head. "Okay, I get it. You're pissed. I would be too if I were in your shoes. So... how about I make things a _little_ easier for you? Soften the blow?"

She snapped her fingers and three shadows emerged from the ground a few feet away. When the shadows dispersed he saw his friends lined up in a row, still unconscious. He almost moved to them but caught himself before he could follow through.

"Zell should be fine." Not-Selphie spoke about his friends like they were pets he was supposed to take care of. "Same with Quistis, though she'll probably be a little cranky. You might wanna prep a sandwich for Squall though; it's been a while since he last ate. Otherwise the only harm they've come to is what _you_ inflicted on them tonight. Which _might_ be fun for you to explain."

He did not move. He still held the gun aimed at her but despite the ploy he knew it was a bluff. She had already seen through it. Despite it all he could not bring himself to pull the trigger.

Even if killing her meant he would free Selphie.

"Whelp, it's been a blast." The walls around them disappeared and without it for support he fell flat on his back with a startled cry. "But I really must be going. Have a good life, all of you. I'd say I'll keep in touch but... well, I know you well enough to know you would just use that to find me. And I can't exactly have that so..."

He sat up just in time to see her blow a kiss and wave. He could not stop her as she turned for the ladder.

But someone else did.

Something dropped down from the top and knocked her on her ass. Irvine didn't see who it was until she was out of the way and barely heard her curse the intruder.

As he saw her tower over the small SeeD, Irvine was reminded of the power that Rinoa possessed. Sorceresses could move things from across the room with a gesture, wield magic akin to those of the Guardian Forces and strike fear in the hearts of mere mortals. And while he knew she would never use these things to maliciously hurt anyone, even he felt his gut clench at the rage that melded her features.

"You're not going _anywhere!_ " She hissed. Her feet and shoulders were squared; she was prepared to intercept if Selphie made a run for the exit. He wasn't so sure how she would handle these shadow powers but he suspected he would find out soon enough.

"So _mean!_ " Selphie pushed herself back up. "I didn't even _touch_ you and you push me?

"You're not Selphie, so get out of her and leave us alone!"

"Now you're starting to sound like him," Selphie inclined her head in Irvine's direction.

Rinoa's face fell when she saw him and she started to run to his side. But a familiar voice called out from behind her.

"No Rinoa, I need you to stay here."

From behind her emerged another woman far older than her appearance let on. Long black hair fell against her back and blended with the simple black dress she wore.

Rinoa regarded the elder woman with indecision and did not brush away the reassuring hand that pressed against her shoulder.

What surprised Irvine even more than the woman's presence was Selphie's reaction to it. The smaller girl rose and froze the instant Edea Kramer came into view. The elder woman regarded Selphie with thinly veiled disdain. "Demon. I thought I told you to leave mine alone."

"They're _yours_?" Selphie's tone feigned surprise. "I didn't even realize..."

"Spare me the platitudes!" Matron's tone was harsh, a lot like when she had been possessed by Ultimecia. "It is _because_ they are mine that you chose them. Do not lie. I will know."

"Ya'll know each otha?" Irvine was brought back to his encounter with Zell. He had seemed eager to tell Irvine why they had been chosen but had not corrected him when he had made his guess.

Matron did not move her gaze from Selphie. "I met this imp years ago. Would _you_ care to explain what happened, or shall I go on?" Selphie remained silent and Matron nodded. "I thought not. She pulled her little tricks through Cid's body and when I discovered what had happened I removed her before she caused any lasting damage." The elder woman lifted her chin, jaw clenched. "You did not care for my methods the last time, did you?"

"Doesn't look like your little side-kick's around this time," Selphie sneered.

"He is not required to deal with you," Matron shot back. "Release your hold on Selphie. _Now_."

"Why should I?" She folded her arms across her chest. "What's in it for me?"

"We are _not_ negotiating! You will release your hold on Selphie or suffer the consequences."

"That's not fair!"

" _Life_ is not fair." Matron nodded at Rinoa, who looked nervous but determined.

The Sorceress held her hands in front of her, like she held a bowl. Magic began to form in the palm, a bright white light that began to fill the gap.

"That's cheating!" Selphie shrieked. "You can't have someone _else_ do your dirty work for you!"

" _Exorcizamus te_ ," Rinoa started, eyes closed as magic flowed from her hands. " _Omnis, immunde spiritus, omni satanica potestas_..."

Not versed in ancient Centran, Irvine could only assume it was a spell of Edea's taught to Rinoa during their return trip to Balamb. How the Galbadian born girl could even say these words without getting her tongue twisted was remarkable. He forced himself up to his feet and began to move to the others. Something in his gut told him they should be ready to leave, and soon.

" _Omnis incursioninfernalis adversarii._ " The light flowed out of Rinoa's hands. " _Omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica in nomini etvirtute_..."

"You're gonna be sorry!" Selphie threatened as that light moved in a straight line towards her. "You're not gonna like what happens if you keep this up!"

" _Domini nostri Hyne, eradicare et effugare a Dei Ecclesia, ab animabusad imaginem Dei conditis ac pretioso divini. Agni anguini redemptis_!"

When Rinoa's eyes opened the irises had disappeared and left behind the spooky white image of her eyes. The trail of light continued on its path and even as Selphie moved it would adjust its trail. As soon as the light touched her, the brunette fell to the ground and convulsed like she was in the middle of a seizure. Irvine wanted to go to her, but Matron raised her hand for him to stay where he was. He would not interfere.

Selphie's arms and legs flapped helplessly as she moved around like a fish out of water. Her mouth was wide open in a cry of pain, the light that touched her seemed to burn in response to the contact. But after a moment she stopped and lay still against the floor.

There was silence for a moment as no one moved, but then Selphie took in a deep lungful of breath and coughed, like she emerged from a lake. But when she turned to face him, Irvine saw her eyes were still purple and his hope began to flag. Maybe the spell had failed? Maybe she had found some way around it.

"It is working," Matron reassured. "It is almost done."

Selphie opened and closed her mouth. Her gasps of pain and attempts to breathe seemed to interfere with her ability to talk. But she tried to speak and Irvine craned his ears so that he could hear her better.

"You're _all_ gonna die down here." Then she gasped and she fell limp.

Irvine was the first to move and he checked on Selphie. Her pulse was steady and despite the bruises and the bullet wounds in her arm she was healthy. It was a shock given what they had gone through. Then the temperature started to rise. It wasn't in small batches either, but like a car going from zero to eighty in an instant. He broke out in sweat and realized what the cause was.

The room had originally been covered in shadow but as the seconds passed it brightened and the lava that had been hidden moments prior began to run free once more. It was a sign Selphie was no longer possessed but if they didn't move quickly they would roast alive if the lava didn't burn them to a crisp first.

 _And the little bitch knew it too._ Irvine recalled her last words and realized how obvious her end game had been.

Irvine picked up Selphie and draped her over his good shoulder even as Matron and Rinoa ran for the other three. He couldn't carry two people and magic or no, Matron and Rinoa would likely struggle with just one. There was no way they could get everyone out alive in one piece and the panic bubbled up as he came to the bitter conclusion.

Which one were they willing to leave behind _?_

"Hey!" A voice called from above. "You guys need any help?"

"Yes!" The women shouted up and it took Irvine a moment to remember who it was.

Everyone climbed up as fast as they could. Irvine barely got up through the hole before the metal ladder melted under the lava cascade. Everyone took a body and double-timed it out of the cavern as quickly as they could manage.


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

* * *

On the return trip to Garden everyone swapped stories so they all got up to speed. While Irvine had dealt with the demons in the Fire Cavern, Rinoa and Nida were told what happened years ago. Matron had insisted she come along.

It seemed Zell had been right about the link between them all, but Ultimecia had nothing to do with this. He did not look forward to the 'I told you so' the brawler would likely shower him.

Irvine was relieved things had worked out for the better. Despite how everything had turned out those he did not look forward to Xu's interrogation. Not only had he left her out of the loop (again), he had purposefully broken the Lock-Down and could have made things worse. Fortunately Matron took it upon herself to field the Lieutenant-Commander's questions and requested a medical team meet them on the Second Floor Balcony to bring the unconscious youths to the Infirmary. Irvine and Rinoa were able to sneak away while Matron dealt with Xu.

But Xu wasn't the only one who wanted answers. Doctor Kadowaki threw a fit when she saw the additional injuries ("They weren't there during _my_ watch!") not to mention an extra patient. Irvine's arm was confirmed broken from 'the game' but a combination of magic and splints helped to heal some of the damage. He was fortunate to not need a plaster cast, but had been given a proper sling for his arm. She treated the others' injuries without too much complaint.

One by one everyone came out of their coma but it was a full week before they were allowed out of the Infirmary. Selphie and Zell took it in stride. Squall and Quistis protested adamantly. The doctor ignored the latter easily. That week passed without incident.

Not even an hour after discharge, Quistis and Zell were quick to gather Rinoa, Irvine and Selphie to the third floor; Xu and Squall got into a shouting match (though of course it was grossly exaggerated; Squall rarely, if ever, shouted) over his 'carelessness'. It ended when Squall had challenged Xu to fire him from a job he'd never wanted in the first place before he'd stormed to his office and remained there for the rest of the day.

Now both Irvine and Selphie were back to cloud watching in the Quad. They'd been there since the debacle had broken up. The content silence was occasionally interrupted when Selphie giggled at the memory. Squall wasn't about to live this one down for a long time.

"Oh yeah!" Selphie sat up, reached into her pocket to retrieve a white envelope and practically slapped it on Irvine's stomach. He interpreted the scrawl as his name and recognized the handwriting as Garden Master Martine's. "I think he finally got off his ass and wrote up your transfer! It came in today and the Headmaster asked me to give it to you while we watched Xu and Squall argue."

Irvine considered it for a moment. "Ya might be right." Then he tore the envelope in half.

"What'd you do that for?!" Selphie slapped him on his good shoulder. "What if it said you could _stay_?!"

"I jes realized I don't need anyone's permission ta stick around." When Selphie went to argue Irvine wrapped his good arm around her and pulled her to lay on his chest. "Mah family's right here and if Martine has a problem, he can go fuck himself."

"Aw... Well _I'm_ glad you're staying."

They stayed like that for a while as they stared at the darkening sky. But then Selphie sighed, pulled herself up and cut him with a look. "Did you just cop a feel?"

Irvine's grin was impish. "Can't blame a guy fer tryin', can ya?"

End


End file.
